<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Probability by Fandaround</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28059735">Probability</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandaround/pseuds/Fandaround'>Fandaround</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Amazing teamwork, Awkward Conversations, Confessions, Crushes, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Minor Allura/Lance (Voltron), Pining, Sexuality Crisis, Slav gives Shiro a headache, Slow Burn, Sort Of, Texting, hunk is a great friend, talking about feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:07:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>29,911</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28059735</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandaround/pseuds/Fandaround</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Slav could calculate the probability of a Galra attack on a particular moon in the Theta-4 sector on a given day, he could calculate the effect of Lance eating oatmeal goo instead of purple goo for breakfast that morning on the chances of success for their mission and, he claimed, he could tell you the probability of a romantic relationship between any two people whom he knew enough about.</p><p>“You can’t calculate romance,” Pidge told him flatly.</p><p>"No?" Slav asked smugly. "I think you can; factoring in a margin of error, of course.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Lance (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>184</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! Just a little thing I’ve been working on for a while, I think it’s finally time to publish. I took liberties with the timeline and who was on the ship together when. Rating is for later chapters. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It started as an offhand comment; one that happened to intrigue Pidge despite its ridiculousness. When Slav had mentioned the probability of a romantic relationship between two of their Olkari allies in the course of his usual ramblings, Pidge's initial response had been to scoff.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You can't calculate romance," she told him flatly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No?" He asked smugly. "I think you can; factoring in a margin of error, of course. And I've now increased the probability of that romance happening by 0.7 percent just by mentioning it."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pidge rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but notice the embarrassed look that the two Olkari in question shared across the table. It was almost a hopeful glance, and it made her curious as to just how accurate his prediction was-not that she would mention that to Slav.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Come on everyone, let's get back on track," Shiro urged. "How can we get past these sensors without alerting the Galra?”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They let it go at that, and for a few weeks, Pidge didn't really think about the probability of romance. Their recent diplomatic missions were interrupted by a Galra fleet, then they had taken time to recover from that fight and shuttle some alien citizens from a planet in the neighboring galaxy when their delicate atmosphere had been compromised by yet another Galra attack-all while down a Paladin since Keith was on a mission with the Blades. There wasn't much time to pick at Slav's brain with everything else going on, and Pidge honestly thought that he'd gone a step too far involving mathematics in people's feelings-at least until she witnessed those very two Olkari entangled in a shy, intimate embrace during her next visit to the planet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You two-?" Pidge blurted, blinking at the couple as she stopped dead in the corridor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They turned towards her, wide-eyed. "Paladin! We-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wait, did you </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> get together?" Pidge cut the alien off incredulously. “He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They shared a confused look, then turned back to Pidge with a small shrug and embarrassed smiles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pidge was thrown. She finished her business on the planet and returned to the Castle around dinnertime, sliding into a seat at the dining table across from Lance and practically pouncing on Shiro.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Okay, do you remember that meeting last time we were here, where Slav tried to predict the love life between those two Olkari?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah?" Shiro gave her an odd look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They got together," Pidge hissed. "I </span>
  <em>
    <span>saw</span>
  </em>
  <span> them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh. Um-that's...great," Shrio offered unenthusiastically.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Dude, I'm saying...he was right! That's </span>
  <em>
    <span>weird</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I mean, I love math, but math...shouldn't work for </span>
  <em>
    <span>relationships</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It is kind of cold," Lance frowned. "Although, I wonder if he could tell me my chances with Princess Allura," he added brightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Lance," Shiro sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Come on, like you aren't curious?" Lance crossed his arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I’m kind of curious about this whole thing too, but...just because he got one couple right doesn't mean he can actually calculate the odds ," Pidge pointed out. “Correlation does not equal causation and all that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shiro sighed again, leaning forward with his fingers at his temples.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"He's a genius, Pidge. If he's got some romance algorithm figured out in that crazy brain of his, it's probably right,” Lance argued.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It might have been a coincidence is all I'm saying," Pidge told him stubbornly. “And besides, saying there’s a high probability of something doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how it is, just that it’s more likely. It’s still a guess, not a guarantee.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Guys," Shiro groaned weakly. "You're giving me a headache."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They let it drop for about ten whole minutes; until everyone else, including Slav, had gathered around the table and Hunk and Coran brought out trays of food goo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Okay, so I've gotta ask," Lance turned to Slav. "Can you </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> calculate relationships? Like...is that a real thing?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slav swallowed his food goo and nodded. "I can calculate the mathematical probability of a romantic relationship occurring between any two individuals. It is not an exact science with so many variables, and the margin of error is quite high and dependent on my personal knowledge of the subjects in question and-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"So that's a 'yes', then?" Lance asked for confirmation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slav grimaced. "Essentially, yes."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"So...what are the chances of....say, Pidge and Shiro getting together?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shiro dropped his spoon and shot Lance a flat glare while Pidge just looked horrified.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Very low," Slav answered, seemingly oblivious to the reactions. "Less than 1.2 percent in this reality, with a .8 percent margin of error."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wow, that's...pretty low, actually.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The largest factors in lowering the probability are the preferences of-,” Slav started to answer breezily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Can we not-?" Shiro cut in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"-and Shiro very likely has a boyfriend at home which also makes the chances much lower considering his moral character."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shiro rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Seriously, can we </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Okay, okay," Lance changed course. "What about...me and Allura?" he asked, trying to sound casual.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allura flushed, glaring indignantly across the table to where Lance sat, and beside her, Coran started to laugh. "Zero! You can't date the Princess, you're not even royalty!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance wheeled to face Coran incredulously, "What-?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slav had a similarly unanticipated answer. "12.8 percent," he told Lance evenly. "With a margin of error of 1.2 percent."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What? Why so </span>
  <em>
    <span>low</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" Lance demanded before he spared a glance at the Princess, who had her lips pressed tightly together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hunk gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well," Slav shrugged a little and took a bite of food goo before he answered, "Factoring in what I know of your personality and the physical reactions-or lack of reactions-in each other's presence, among other things, there is a low likelihood of a romantic relationship. There </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> an extremely high probability of romance between yourself and the absent Paladin, however, so don't be too upset."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The...absent Paladin?" Lance asked blankly. The only person missing from the table was Keith, and for once, as that face dawned on him, Lance could not have been happier that he was away on a mission.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes, yes," Slav nodded. "The half-Galra. I’m this reality, you mention him 34.2 percent more often than you mention any other person in conversation, and you exhibit typical signs of attraction towards him; leaning forward while talking, I’ve observed dilation of the pupils on several-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No-oooo!" Lance, who seemed to have been temporarily frozen in shock, started to shake his head rapidly and cut Slav's explanation off. "You are </span>
  <em>
    <span>way</span>
  </em>
  <span> off on this one, dude."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pidge, however, was grinning. "When you say 'extremely high probability', exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span> high do you mean?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, it was 84.7 percent in this reality and 78.4 percent within those realities in which they are teammates overall, with a margin of error of 4.9 percent. Of course in this reality, due to the fact that Lance is now aware of the odds and according to the observer-expectancy effect, the chances of such a relationship have increased by 2.4 percent."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"So...what you're </span>
  <em>
    <span>saying</span>
  </em>
  <span>, is that in four out of every five realities, Keith and Lance are boning?" Hunk asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slav gave an unapologetic half-shrug. “Not </span>
  <em>
    <span>precisely</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the words I’d use, but...pretty much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Guys..." Shiro protested weakly. "Can we....</span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes!" Lance screeched. "Can we </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>? This guy is </span>
  <em>
    <span>obviously </span>
  </em>
  <span>a hack!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Paladins," Allura cleared her throat timidly. "Perhaps we shouldn't discuss Lance and Keith's potential romance until Keith returns. It seems a bit...rude, I think, if not all parties are present.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah-I hate to say it, but I kind of agree,” Hunk sounded a little disappointed with himself. “We should let him defend himself, at least.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank</span>
  </em>
  <span> you, guys,” Lance told them both with a huff, then glared at Pidge and Slav for the rest of the meal.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>For the next week, Lance vehemently denied the possibility that he and Keith could ever be a couple, but when it became clear that his loud and constant denial only spurred Pidge and Hunk to tease him </span>
  <em>
    <span>more, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Lance decided to switch tactics. He would ignore her instead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, loverboy,” Pidge nudged him in the arm as she squished onto the couch between him and Hunk. “Hit start already, you have the first controller.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Distracted thinking about your </span>
  <em>
    <span>crush</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll fuckin’ crush you,” Lance rolled his eyes, mashing the controller.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not even going to fight it?” Hunk raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance determinedly ignored him in favor of picking a character.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“About time you admitted it,” Pidge said lightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How about I admit that I’m about to kick your ass!” Lance stuck his tongue out childishly. “If you would just </span>
  <em>
    <span>pick a goddamn character</span>
  </em>
  <span> already.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>getting</span>
  </em>
  <span> there,” Hunk huffed. “Chill. So touchy about your crush, jeez.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Shiro?” Lance asked. “Wasn’t he supposed to join us?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He was on the comm with someone from the Blade. He’ll be here in a few,” Pidge informed him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does he </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever </span>
  </em>
  <span>just fuck off and relax?” Hunk asked, but nobody answered him as the game started up and they were suddenly too busy mashing buttons to have a conversation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They barely noticed when Shiro finally did come in. “Hey,” he said brightly, coming around to the end of the couch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Die,” Pidge deadpanned, beating her thumb against the pad of her controller. “I said </span>
  <em>
    <span>die</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got good news,” Shiro tried to speak up a little over the sound of buttons and the poorly rendered punch effects coming from the screen. “Keith is on his way back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Lance jerked his eyes away from the screen as another loud punch sounded and a diminutive series of notes announced that his character had died. “He’s coming back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He should be here in two days,” Shiro confirmed. “The mission went well, and the Blades are going to need a bit to sort through the intel they gathered and decide what to do about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Two days?” Lance repeated hollowly. “We only have </span>
  <em>
    <span>two</span>
  </em>
  <span> days?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dude,” Hunk turned to join their conversation as his character was knocked to the ground in a pool of blood. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span> shit is exactly why we aren’t going to let you forget about your crush on Keith.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-!” Lance cut himself off again, letting out a frustrated growl as he reminded himself that he was ignoring the remarks. “Are you gonna play or what?” He snapped at Shiro, who just shot him a bemused smile and leaned forward to grab the last controller.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance had been dreading Keith’s return. Refusing to acknowledge Pidge’s teasing hadn’t actually made her let up any, and if anything, Hunk had gotten </span>
  <em>
    <span>worse</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The other day at lunch, even Shiro had casually thrown in a comment about Lance’s ‘infatuation’ with Keith, but the worst of it was that Lance was beginning to  suspect Allura didn’t realize it was a joke at all. She’d been shooting him supportive smiles every so often, and had even regaled the Paladins with a tale of a famous (male) Altean warrior who had found his true love in the (equally male) armorsmith who had dedicated himself to keeping the warrior he loved protected in battle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The day Keith was set to return, Hunk spent the morning in the kitchen, preparing a welcome-back lunch with a mix of the usual food goo, the only </span>
  <em>
    <span>slightly</span>
  </em>
  <span> better Galra sustenance goo, and a small assortment of spices and vegetables from the space mall that he’d been slowly vetting as edible food.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lance, if you’re gonna hang around here the whole time I’m cooking, at least help,” Hunk frowned, shoving an apron in his arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wha-?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mix two spoons of this into that,” Hunk instructed, sliding a bowl and a pot of spices toward him. “I’ll chop some mystery space root.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance snapped his mouth shut and sighed before he tied the apron on and pulled the bowl of goo over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Seriously, though, what’s up with you? Does this whole...</span>
  <em>
    <span>thing</span>
  </em>
  <span> really bother you that much?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course</span>
  </em>
  <span> it bothers me! What if everyone started accusing you of crushin’ on, like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shiro</span>
  </em>
  <span>, huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hunk shrugged. “I guess I’d laugh it off? It’s just...you make such a big </span>
  <em>
    <span>deal</span>
  </em>
  <span> about it, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you really </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> want a piece of that mullet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance whipped his head around in indignation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hunk deflated a little. “Still in the denial stage? Fine, but when you see him, just think about something for me, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance started to protest. “It’s not-there’s nothing to deny!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hunk paused, setting down his knife. “Yeah? But think about it for a second-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You two always seem to bring out strong emotions in each other.” Lance froze in place with his palms flat against the counter and his eyes trained on the bowl of goo in front of him as Hunk barreled on, as if afraid that Lance would come to his senses and interrupt him again. “It’s true. You bicker like crazy, but not in the way you do with anyone else on this ship. When you guys argue, it gets </span>
  <em>
    <span>heated</span>
  </em>
  <span>, man. And you can call it rivalry or whatever, but when you two are working together, you make a </span>
  <em>
    <span>great</span>
  </em>
  <span> team. You make each other better Paladins. I’d even say you make each other better </span>
  <em>
    <span>people</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Lance felt like his voice was stuck in his throat, unable to formulate any response. Hunk added, “At least under certain circumstances-we all know you can bring out the worst in each other too. I don’t know how either of you actually feel about the whole...</span>
  <em>
    <span>romantic</span>
  </em>
  <span> aspect of it. I don’t know if this reality is one of the realities where you two could be a couple, but you can’t deny that whatever the relationship is between you-teammates or friends or more-you two are </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> for each other.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance didn’t respond. He didn’t move or speak or even look up until Hunk came around the counter and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dude,” Hunk sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance finally snapped his head up to meet Hunk’s eyes. “I-?” He frowned, then looked back down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just think about it, alright?” Hunk told him gently. Lance swallowed hard, and nodded. “Come on, you gonna stir my filling or what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Filling?” Lance managed to ask, peering at the goo in the bowl in front of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yep. We’re making dumplings. Finish that while I roll out the dough, and I’ll show you how to fold them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” he nodded, taking a deep, steadying breath before he set himself to the task at hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even though Lance knew that Hunk was only trying to help distract him, the distraction worked. As they plated dumplings, stew and rice, Lance heard voices from the dining room and realized with a jolt that one of them was Keith.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here,” Hunk lifted a tray of rice and shoved it into Lance’s arms. “Let’s start taking everything in.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Lance took it gingerly and bumped the swing door open with his hip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone else was already present. There seemed to be three separate conversations going on, but everyone was all smiles as they stood about.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lance! There you are,” Coran called. “We wondered where you had gotten to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hunk asked me for help,” Lance gave a half-shrug and set the tray in the middle of the table before he looked up toward Keith. “Hey,” he offered lightly. “Glad you’re back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Keith smiled. “Good to </span>
  <em>
    <span>be </span>
  </em>
  <span>back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance hesitated just a moment too long before he replied, “Shame you’ve still got that mullet, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Keith rolled his eyes as Lance turned back to the kitchen to help with the rest of the food.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lunch went surprisingly well. Lance had fully expected one of his teammates to blurt something out about his ‘crush’, but the most Lance caught was a smirk from Pidge when Keith thanked him and Hunk for the meal.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Knowing that his luck couldn’t possibly last, Lance skipped dinner that night.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Allura had scheduled a team training session the next morning so Lance was not surprised to find Keith there as well, already looking very awake, even smiling as he sparred with Shiro at 0700 hours.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was not quite as energetic. He’d been in bed earlier than usual, but unable to settle his mind long enough to actually fall asleep until well after midnight. Between his exhaustion and the fact that his stomach was growling from having skipped dinner the night before, Lance wasn’t in the best mood or his best form. Only minutes into what was basically a free-for-all brawl with the drones, Lance took a blow to his ribs that nearly had him doubled over. Before he could even aim his beyard towards it, there was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>crunch </span>
  </em>
  <span>of metal and the tip of a blade crashed through its chest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The drone fell away, and Keith’s concerned frown filled Lance’s vision instead. “You alright?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance grunted, clutching his ribs. “I’ll be fine, thanks,” he managed. Keith looked doubtful, but turned to stand back-to-back with him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Try to give the others some cover fire,” Keith told him. “I’ll cover you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance took a deep breath and let three well-placed shots off at the three drones surrounding Hunk. He grinned, confidence rising as he moved on to deliver a headshot to one that was approaching Pidge, then fired low to bring two more to their knees as they rushed Allura from both sides.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he lined up the next shot, Lance could hear Keith struggling behind him. He sent a blast at one that had started charging towards Lance hunself, knocking it backwards into one that was engaged with Hunk, just as Keith let out a muffled shout of frustration.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Lance</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Keith’s unsteady tone made him whirl around, and in an instant, Lance took stock of the two drones on Keith, whose beyard has been knocked to his feet, and the third drone approaching the scuffle quickly. “Now!” he barked. Lance let off six shots in quick succession as Keith threw himself to the floor to retrieve his weapon, trusting Lance to take care of the drones before they overpowered them both. All three fell, smoking, and Lance spared a moment to pull Keith back up by a bicep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“C’mon,” Lance swallowed hard and got both hands back on his rifle to ready the next shot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks,” Keith grinned, and they took just a moment back-to-back, just long enough to take a breath and collect themselves, before jumping back into the fray.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the end of their training, Shiro caught Lance by the shoulder as the others drifted towards the locker room. “Hey,” he gave a small, proud smile as Lance turned to face him. “Good job out there today.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance blinked and offered a small smile. “Uh-thanks, Shiro.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously, I know you’re not at a hundred percent today, but you didn’t let it interfere, and you worked great with Keith. I’m glad you’re not letting all that probability stuff get to you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance took a step back, glancing towards the door where Keith and Pidge were heading into the showers. Shiro’s smile dropped as he followed Lance’s gaze.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-yeah, look, can we just forget about that already?” Lance mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. Uh...yeah-sure,” Shiro nodded once, looking uncertain. “Sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I just don’t want to make things weird,” Lance blurted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. Of course.” They frowned at each other for a moment before Shiro added, “But you know that it would be okay, if-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Nope</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Lance cut him off loudly, throwing up both hands dramatically and walking back again. “Not having this conversation again. No, thanks!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro’s frown only deepened as Lance turned on his heel and fled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wound up at the pool. When he was a kid, Lance had gone swimming to get away from the noise of the house and be alone for a while. With his family, it had been the </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> place to be alone. The castle’s pool was no beach, but it was close enough that he was able to lose himself, focused on keeping his form and controlling his breaths at regular strokes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn’t even gotten to really thinking about things-hadn’t even thought out the question he knew he needed to ask himself before he was interrupted. As Lance came to the end of his ninth lap, a dark shadow on the tile in front of him made him pause and blink the water out of his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Keith said uncertainly, standing fully dressed in front of Lance’s lane.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance swallowed hard. “Hey?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith hesitated. “You...never came in to shower. And Shiro said he wasn’t sure where you had gone…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw, you were worried?” Lance tried to smile, but it wasn’t very convincing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith crossed his arms over his chest and gave a half-shrug. “It isn’t like you to neglect your skincare regimen,” he started teasingly, then hesitated. “You skipped dinner too. Are...are you okay, Lance? I know I haven’t been here for a while but-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” he blurted, then quickly caught Keith’s doubtful look and tried to recover. “Really,” Lance forced himself to speak more calmly. “I’m okay, really. I’ve just had an off week.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh-kay,” Keith said carefully. “Something going on?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing to worry about,” Lance assured him, but didn’t quite meet his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith didn't quite look convinced, but let his arms unfold to rest at his sides, relaxing a little. “Okay. Mind if I stay while you swim?” He asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance blinked up at Keith, caught off guard. “Sure.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith flashed him a small smile and shuffled up to sit on the edge of the pool in the next lane. Lance floated on his back until Keith had gotten his boots and socks off, and rolled up his jeans to dip his feet in the water.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Time me?” Lance asked, once he had gotten settled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure. Computer, ready stopwatch at my command,” Keith paused for Lance to get into position. “On the count of three...one, two, three, </span>
  <em>
    <span>start</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance pushed off hard, arms working furiously and pumping his legs harder than usual for every extra bit of speed he could muster. He executed a tight turn at the far wall and kicked back off towards Keith, struggling to keep the brutal pace even until the end of his single lap. He came barreling back to touch off at the start and promptly fell backwards to float on his back, chest heaving.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nice,” Keith remarked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What was my time?” Lance panted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thirty-seven ticks,” Keith answered, looking impressed. “I don’t think I’ve ever done it under fifty.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance let out a long breath as his pulse started to come back down. “I know I can do a couple ticks less,”he grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance righted himself and narrowed his eyes at Keith. “Yeah,” he shot back, defensive. “Time me again,” he ordered, rolling back out of the water to the starting position.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith grinned. “Computer, restart stopwatch in three...two, one, </span>
  <em>
    <span>start.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance made sure to splash a little more than he needed to this time, and sure enough, when he came back up for air at the end of the lap, Keith was gently wringing was water out of the ends of his hair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You did that on purpose,” Keith sighed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep,” Lance laughed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Asshole,” Keith grumbled, but he smiled a little. “Forty-one ticks,” he informed Lance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Damnit!” Lance huffed. “Again.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Catch your breath first,” Keith told him, “Or else your times will just keep getting worse.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance rolled his eyes again but relaxed a little and sank in the water until he was submerged up to the chin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you swim a lot back home?” Keith asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Lance chuckled. “Yeah, I swam on the school team, and when I wasn’t swimming in the pool, I was probably swimming in the ocean.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh. I’ve never been to the ocean,” Keith admitted. “Is it hard to swim with all those waves?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Lance popped up to stand again. “You’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> been to the ocean?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, not on Earth,” Keith shrugged. “I swam in the ocean on Phalil-4 but it didn’t really have waves-or sand so I don’t know if that’s a good comparison…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god, when we get back home, I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>taking</span>
  </em>
  <span> you to the beach,” Lance told him with a conviction that was hard to argue with. Despite that, he was still surprised when Keith agreed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” Keith grinned. Lance faltered then, suddenly remembering the reason he had come here to begin with. “Hey, you okay?” Keith was suddenly frowning as Lance met his concerned gaze. “Lance?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-yeah. I’m fine. Uh-no, they aren’t bad. The waves, I mean. You get used to them. And once you’re out in the water, you just float on top of them.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Keith looked confused, but shrugged. “I can’t wait to see.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance went inexplicably red, and tried to hide it by diving under the water to do a handstand on the bottom of the pool, then swimming a slow, untimed lap. When he resurfaced, Keith was watching him, reclined back with one elbow supporting him. Lance hauled himself back up to sit on the edge with him, dangling his feet in the water and leaning forward to hug his knees.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Dp you miss home?” Lance asked, after a full minute of silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith hummed in the affirmative. “Of course,” he answered. “Even though...I mean, it’s not like I have anything or anyone waiting back home for me. Shiro-and you and the rest of the Paladins-you’re all </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but even so, I still miss home.” Lance nodded sympathetically and he continued, “Sometimes, I just want to lay in bed all day and read some shitty novel and pretend I’m in my house in the desert. It’s like we never get a break out here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Dude, don’t get me wrong, I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>completely </span>
  </em>
  <span>on board with a lazy day, but...you train more than any of us,” Lance pointed out. “Voluntarily.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, But it doesn’t mean it’s what I necessarily </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be doing. I mean, our options are pretty limited and we have a mission to complete. It’s not like there’s much else to do.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance glanced back at Keith, “Yeah, that’s true. There are also video games, of course. Hey, why don’t you come play Killbot Phantasm with us later? It’s a good way to clock out for a bit.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Keith shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll hold you to that,” Lance smiled, and turned further toward him as a thought struck. “So...what kinda shitty novels?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Really? Urg-“ Keith ducked his head a little.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re romance novels, aren’t they?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Lance</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Keith huffed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god, they’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>smutty</span>
  </em>
  <span> romance novels! You like boddice-rippers?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s face was suddenly deep red. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Seriously</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” He squawked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance shrugged, laughing a little. “I used to read my aunt’s steamy romance novels. They weren’t…well, they weren’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>great, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but they were good enough that I kept reading them,” Lance laughed, waggling his eyebrows dramatically. “Plus, they made me feel like I could woo </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> the ladies. What, like that isn’t at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>partly</span>
  </em>
  <span> why you were into them?” Lance accused, when Keith rolled his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shook his head resolutely. “Definitely not trying to woo any ladies,” he snorted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance paused, apparently long enough for Keith to notice and frown at him, pushing himself back up to lean forward toward the pool. “Uh-?” Lance furrowed his brow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You...you know I’m not interested in women, right?” Keith asked flatly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance shook his head a little too quickly. “I...didn’t know that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah...“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s great, though,” Lance blurted. “I mean-it’s cool,” he said, a little too enthusiastically.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Keith responded doubtfully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean-urgh-</span>
  <em>
    <span>Dios mio</span>
  </em>
  <span>...sorry,” he sighed, and after a moment, his traitorous rambling mouth decided that honesty was the best option. “Look, I’m sorry, I just...I came down here to think-or maybe to avoid thinking-whatever-and you um… you just...hit a little too close to the reason...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith seemed to struggle to process those last words, which had come out in a low jumble, but finally he asked, “Do you...wanna talk about it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance swallowed hard. “I-I dunno,” he said quietly. Keith didn’t respond, he just sat next to Lance patiently, waiting for him to sort his thoughts into words. “I think...I think I just want to swim.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay. But if you do ever want to talk-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks,” Lance cut him off quickly, but his gratitude was sincere. “I will.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith nodded, starting to stand. “I should...probably go check with Pidge. The Blade was supposed to contact us with a final report from our last mission.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Lance nodded, both disappointed and relieved. “Thanks,” he repeated, and Keith smiled tightly before he turned toward the door. Lance faced back to the water, stared blankly at the surface for a few minutes, then got into starting position and pushed off for another lap.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Lance couldn’t help but feel hopeful at the newfound evidence that Slav’s seemingly ridiculous prediction about his future love life might just be possible. It was only when he took stock of just how giddy he was at the prospect that Lance fully realized</span> <span>what that really said about himself and he tried not to have a panic attack every time he saw Keith for the next few days.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Avoiding was easy for Lance. He’d avoided thinking about his sexuality for years. He’d avoided it since he’d been fourteen and found a video on his cousin’s laptop of a threesome involving two guys a girl. Lance remembered replaying that scene in his head for months, obsessed with the thought of those guys reaching across the girl’s lap to touch each other, but he had ultimately avoided thinking about exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span> it had been so fascinating to him versus the myriad of other porn he’d discovered that day.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now, Lance had decided that it was time to face things head-on, and last night, his curiosity had led him to the showers with a long-ignored fantasy and a bottle of massage oil covertly wrapped up in his towel. It had been an affirming experience overall, but Lance was somehow sure that everyone at breakfast the next morning would somehow, magically, just </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>that he had done a Very Gay Thing the night before.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He slid into his usual seat, and the lack of reaction from the others should have put him at ease, but instead it set him even more on edge.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Pass me the goo,” Pidge told Lance, just as Keith and Hunk came in to sit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance took a long moment to process the request, then shoved a bowl towards her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-the </span>
  <em>
    <span>plain</span>
  </em>
  <span> goo, please,” she repeated, frowning disgustedly at the bowl of what Lance belatedly realized was goo cereal, not regular goo.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, sorry.” He swapped it for a different bowl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, spaz.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re w-</span>
  <em>
    <span>hey</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Lance shot back lamely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are we doing today?” Hunk asked the table.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith and Slav are supposed to be contacted by the Blade today,” Allura answered. “He may be leaving for a mission while we continue our diplomatic efforts. This afternoon, Shiro has arranged a few training drills.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What kind of training?” Pidge asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Problem solving,” Shiro piped in. “We need to be able to think on our feet.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh-kay,” Hunk hummed. “Whatever that means.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll run though the details later,” Allura assured them. “He’s gotten Slav to help set up a few simulations.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Great,” Lance grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Slav was extremely helpful in figuring out scenarios that would require us to use solutions that may not be initially apparent.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s right,” Slav nodded from his end of the table. “I have calculated the probability of each of you correctly solving the puzzles and assigned you each to the one which you are least likely to be able to overcome successfully.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So you </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>us to fail?” Keith asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, we want you to learn,” Shiro said gently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“By failing,” Hunk snorted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There is a 12.4 percent chance that none of you will be able to complete your puzzle, but there is a 28.7 percent chance that all of you will succeed.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s pretty low,” Keith frowned. “So you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> expecting at least one of us to fail.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It is probable,” Slav shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s encouraging,” Pidge muttered sarcastically.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Slav told Lance gleefully,  “Are the most likely to fail.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Great,” he replied flatly. “Thanks.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re welcome,” Slav returned cheerfully, turning back to his breakfast.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure you’ll do great,” Keith offered with a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance froze, his face heating up. “Thanks,” he managed to repeat, much more sincerely. He shoved a spoonful of goo into his mouth and chanced a look up, only to find the rest of the table glancing curiously between himself and Keith.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Keith asked bluntly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Lance insisted, muffled by the goo.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith narrowed his eyes at Lance, but he was still looking expectantly at the others. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I should get to work,” Shiro sidestepped. “Slav, are you ready? I’d like to go over the simulations one last time.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, fine,” Slav huffed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I should help Coran get the kitchen cleaned up,” Hunk mumbled, sliding out of his seat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What the actual fuck?” Keith muttered, turning to Lance for answers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-later, okay?” Lance avoided his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Lance</span>
  </em>
  <span>-?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Later,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he repeated, more forcefully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-we can...go?” Pidge glanced at Allura, who looked about the table with uncharacteristic hesitance, unsure how to respond.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith frowned at them, then at Lance’s tense shoulders. “Later’s fine,” he conceded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance swallowed hard.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh-kay,” Allura went back to her bowl slowly, and they finished breakfast in painfully awkward silence</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hm, I feel like the timeline is more confusing now. Lance is in Red, and Allura is a Paladin, but Shiro is still there, so...timelines schlimelines, right!?! Anyways, this chapter is super cliche. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lance managed to avoid everyone else until their training session in the afternoon. He arrived exactly on schedule, and barely had time to even take in Allura’s frown or the strange walls that had been erected in each corner or the strange cube floating in the center of the room, before Allura started to speak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Paladins,” Allura addressed them fondly. “The goal is for each of us to get these balls,” she held up what looked like a gleaming metal basketball, “Into these spots,” she pointed to a divot on the floor next to her that was shaped and sized to cradle the ball. “The restrictions and specific challenges are different for each of us…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance found himself staring up at the floating cube as she spoke, wondering how it appeared to be in zero gravity even as they were all firmly anchored to the floor, and he only realized that Allura was finished with explanations when he saw the other Paladins split off into the corners of the room. Belatedly, he noticed that the cube was descending towards them now and took a moment to look over it, realizing that this was </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>challenge. Before he knew what was happening, Allura had opened one side of the cube and was shoving Lance inside.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey-wait! Hold </span>
  <em>
    <span>on!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He tried to resist but the Princess didn’t seem to even notice his struggle. “What If I fail?!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You won’t,” she told him confidently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But it’s high up! And if I can’t figure it out you’ll have to let me out eventually!” Lance screeched, but Allura was already slamming the hatch closed on him, and Lance felt an uncomfortable jolt in the pit of his stomach that told him he was floating into the air.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance spent the first few minutes inside scratching fruitlessly at the seams to the hatch and getting used to the way it tilted as he moved, then spent a while prying at the lights which were recessed into the center of each wall as well as the floor and ceiling. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a few minutes, he felt brave enough to tilt the cube onto its side completely, which was easy enough to do by simply leaning against the wall until it flipped. He stopped at that, however, deflating as he began to feel like a hamster in a ball, knowing that he’d never be able to work through the intricate maze without seeing the outside. He needed an outside link.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tentatively, Lance tried to connect to Red. He didn’t exactly expect her to come bursting through the training room door to help him solve a puzzle, but Lance felt like any outside connection would be a good start at this point.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a bit of meditation, he felt a hint of amusement from Red, and the vague feeling that he wasn’t completely off track with his method, but no solutions occurred to him or were offered by Red. Lance sighed, settling cross-legged on the hard floor as he tried to figure out what that meant.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance sat, stumped and staring uselessly at the stark wall until his foot began to go numb. He stretched out then, heaving a frustrated sigh. Even if he could convince Red to come onto the training deck, her sheer size meant that she would have to destroy the walls to do so, and Lance was </span>
  <em>
    <span>pretty</span>
  </em>
  <span> sure that wasn’t the answer. Still, he knew that he needed eyes on the outside.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait-“ Lance sat up straight, “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> connect to something else.” He let out a hopeful laugh and sent a mental plea to Red, asking her to help him connect to one of the other Paladins.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Red’s response was much more promising this time. Lance felt a surge of pride and a beat of hope that told him he was onto something, even though he hadn’t exactly connected to anyone yet. Lance closed his eyes and tried to concentrate, feeling for the other Paladins’ energy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He felt them immediately. Three small beats of energy, and one overwhelmingly strong pull that Lance did not try to resist. Lance knew whose energy this was. He knew with absolute certainty that this couldn’t be anyone but him, yet Lance’s pulse still quickened when the image of the red beyard suddenly overtook his vision. The adrenaline rush hit even before that beyard smashed through the chest plate of a castle bot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance watched Keith’s hands wrench the blade back, pause, and then everything started moving; walls and corners flying past dizzyingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” Lance said aloud, and he heard his voice echo inside of the cube, but Keith didn’t slow down. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Keith</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he tried again. “Can you hear me?” Lance couldn’t actually hear Keith, but he seemed to be seeing everything as if through Keith’s eyes, through an odd lens that made the world look somehow shaper and a bit blurred at once. It was a little dizzying.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith paused, and for a moment Lance thought that he had heard and was responding, but then Keith dashed around another corner and ambushed the drone waiting for him there. Lance saw it fall to the floor, then Keith paused again, looking down at his own heaving chest before the picture shook, as if Keith had shaken his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance could do little more than watch as Keith ran past empty corridors of nondescript walls. Every once in a while, he stopped to take out a drone or two, or to look back and forth at an intersection. The fourth time Keith paused, looking up at the impossibly tall walls and then backwards, and forwards again, Lance finally realized that his test was a maze too. And Keith, being Keith, was just barreling down any random path-sometimes choosing the same path twice-and hoping to get lucky enough to find the right way. Lance physically rolled his eyes when it occurred to him that Keith was trying to use brute force to win a mind game and, frustrated, Lance let out a long breath and tried to send some calming vibes to his teammate.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith paused again, just as he’d started to run up another long, straight corridor. Lance saw him look around, then down again before he brought his hands to his face, rubbing his eyes with his palms. Lance saw darkness for a moment and he tried to send a feeling of calm again. Keith’s eyes snapped open.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was happy to see that when he started walking again, Keith took it slower. At every intersection and dead end, he looked up briefly, and Lance wanted to think that he was trying to -</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>actually memorize the route now. Lance was mapping it out in his own head, and he began to see what the problem was. There was a four-way intersection at which Keith kept ending up, turning down every path but one. Lance saw him approach it again and pause. Lance could feel Keith’s uneasiness, and then he saw him begin to make a right instead of going straight like he needed to. Keith had been down that corridor twice now, running across one drone on the first pass, and two the last time. Lance was pretty sure that if he kept going, he was going to come across three this time, so he focused all of his concentration into pushing his feelings of trepidation and alarm through the bond.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith stopped dead in his tracks and eyed the walls in front of him, then looked back over his shoulder. He turned back and slowly returned to the intersection. Lance watched as he tried to go straight across, and he sent the same message again, relieved to find that Keith stopped again. He finally eyed the path to his right, and Lance concentrated on sharing all of the hope and positive encouraging energy he could muster. Lance almost thought that he could feel that upbeat confidence mirroring back to him as Keith started down the correct corridor, and Lance smiled in his cube.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance kept watching, navigating him through via mental nudges, and within minutes they found the end; a ball-sized divot on a pedestal. Keith reached up behind him, slinging a bag over his shoulder, and rolled the ball into its home. The walls sunk into the floor around him, and suddenly Lance was looking out across the nearly empty training deck. Allura came into view, grinning as she ran up, and then there was a dizzying head turn and a proud smile from Shiro.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance felt a surge of warmth at that, foreign and unbidden in his chest. Lance saw Allura’s lips moving, unable to hear her words clearly, and then his vision shifted around to focus on the cube.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance actually stood up, banging his head but thankfully not breaking the bond. Lance saw Allura and Shiro furrow and raise their brows, respectively, then they shared a glance with each other just before Lance’s vision turned abruptly as Keith walked across the training deck.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he looked up at the cube again, Lance let Keith feel the giddy relief that welled up in him, and in return, Keith walked around to see where the end of the maze was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, Lance started to push against the walls and tilt the cube around, rotating it so that the ball fell through the maze. For the next ten minutes, Keith walked around the floor below him, eyes trained upwards for Lance’s benefit, as Lance himself stumbled about the inside of the cube. Lance tipped it over to the next side, landing unceremoniously on his hands and knees as it tumbled over, then paused for Keith to come around to the opposite side before he did it again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance felt a jolt of something positive and proud before he realized that he was only three turns from the solution. He maneuvered the last few turns carefully, and watched through Keith’s eyes as the ball rolled into place and the cube started to descend. Lance stood up so fast that he banged his head against the ceiling again as he landed on solid ground and saw the hatch open. Lance caught a brief and confusing glimpse of himself, grinning, wide-eyed and rubbing his head with one hand before he thought to pull back from the connection.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He blinked as his own sense returned and Keith’s face came into view instead, looking curious, even as he smiled. “We did it!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We did it,” Keith returned with a hint of confusion. “Um-how exactly did we do that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Some kinda mind meld shit? I don’t know, Red helped us out, but thanks. Seriously,” Lance added.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Anytime,” Keith gave him a small, tentative smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance! Keith!” Allura waved them over to where she, Shiro and Slav were waiting. “Congratulations,” she smiled brightly. “With your success, all five of you have completed your challenge.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Slav told us it was ‘highly improbable’,” Shiro mentioned smugly, as Keith crossed his arms to stare down at the alien.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Improbability is not impossibility,” Slav held up a finger knowingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Lance said dismissively. “Of course you weren’t just </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The others are in the kitchens,” Shiro cut off whatever argument Slav had been about to start with Lance. “Hunk is making a celebratory dinner. Why don’t you tell us how you managed that while we eat?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Cool. Let’s...uh-let’s do that,” Lance nodded. They all started down the corridor toward the kitchen, but Keith hung back, and Lance found himself slowing down to match his pace. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When the others had disappeared around the corner, it was Keith who spoke first. “So…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance hesitated, footsteps faltering. “Uh-yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith crossed his arms, and they both stopped in their tracks to face each other. “What happened in there?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I don’t know. I asked Red to connect me to the other Paladins and it did...whatever that was. Maybe because Red already has some connection with you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“In the maze, were you...trying to calm me down?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you were trying to run through it as fast as you could instead of slowing down and figuring out which direction to go!” Lance accused. Keith huffed indignantly, but he didn’t deny it. “You do realize that every bot you ran into-it was because you took the wrong path. And if you took the wrong path twice, you got two instead, then three and so on.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith opened his mouth, then shut it. “Oh...Shit.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh. I don’t know if I would have figured that out at all,” Keith admitted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I wouldn’t have figured mine out without you either,” Lance returned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Keith told him seriously. Lance smiled for a moment, but it dropped abruptly when Keith continued, “Hey, what was all that about earlier...at breakfast?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-“ Lance let out a long breath. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jesus</span>
  </em>
  <span>, right now?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s the big deal?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance forced himself to calm down and to try and act casual, even as his face began to heat up. “Ah-okay. Uh-so you know how Slav is always making predictions about...you know, like, </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>? He...well he’s been having some fun extrapolating probabilities about um-relationships.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith eyed him warily. “Relationships?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Uh-he said that like...with Pidge and Shiro it’s ‘highly improbable’ or whatever that they would get together, and he...said that of all the Paladins, the most probable relationship would be between-well...</span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span>…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s face turned a shade of red that Lance was pretty sure he’d never seen before, then dropped his gaze to the floor. “Uh...“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Lance bit his bottom lip hard. “So...uh-he said this at breakfast, of course, in front of everyone. So the others kind of had a field day making fun of me. It was before you came back, you know. They were all like ‘Lance has a crush!’ and ‘Dude, you’re probably getting laid right now in another reality!’ But...uh-I mean, it’s not like Slav is always right, anyways. Today proves that, right? I mean, he said we were gonna fail…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith didn’t answer, but he looked up to ask, “The other day-at the pool…you-?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I was...already having a personal crisis before you mentioned you were gay?” Lance swallowed. “Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. And...this is-uh...</span>
  <em>
    <span>connected</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Keith sounded almost hopeful to Lance’s ears. Or maybe he wanted it to be.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance met his eyes bravely. “Sort of,” he managed, a little hoarsely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“...Sort of?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance let out a long breath. “It’s not like it’s a </span>
  <em>
    <span>completely</span>
  </em>
  <span> new thing for me, okay? Guys, in general-I mean, in addition to girls, obviously.” Lance waved his hands vaguely, frustrated, “I just…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You...avoid thinking about it, like you were saying the other day?” Keith guessed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-yep,” Lance stilled his flying hands and bit his bottom lip. “I’m usually great at that. Avoiding things.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith paused, his chest pounding as he realized that he wasn’t exactly sure what questions he wanted to ask. Instead, he said, “Just...ignore what Slav said. I don’t care what the math says or what some other ‘Lance’ is doing in those other realities. But...if </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>-the Lance from </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> reality-decide that Slav might be right, just...come and talk to me about it,” Keith finished quietly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You-?” Lance started, but he cut himself off when he realized he wasn’t sure what exactly he meant to ask, or if he wanted to know the answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a long, tense pause, Keith said quietly, “We should get going before Coran eats all the biscuits.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. Biscuits,” Lance repeated, then blanked out for a few moments and nearly had to jog to catch back up to Keith. When they sat down with the others, a few eyes glanced between them, but no one asked why they had been delayed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully, the awkward moment didn’t last long as Pidge and Coran started to argue over the biscuits and Allura started to congratulate all of the Paladins on their successes, asking for details from each.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once dinner was over, Keith slipped out of the room first, and was gone before Lance could even think about following.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Although Lance didn’t go seeking Keith out over the next few days, or vice versa, they didn’t avoid each other. They saw each other in meals and training, but only in the presence of the other Paladins and without having to interact directly. Eventually, however, they ran into each other in the elevator as Keith was heading to the bridge, and Lance up to see Hunk in the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Can I ask you a personal question?” Lance blurted in greeting, after having barely even given him a wave, much less a ‘hello’ for days.</p>
<p>Keith, however, didn’t seem to be offended. He offered an indifferent half-shrug, “Sure.”</p>
<p>“Uh-when did you like, realize that you liked guys?”</p>
<p>Keith considered his answer and, to his credit, only went a little red but addressed the wall instead of Lance’s face. “Well, it was after I got to the Garrison. I knew...I knew that I wasn’t into girls before that. I just sort of...didn’t really think about why. I thought I just wasn’t interested in-well, in dating or sex as much as other people, until I definitely uh-was, and it was definitely guys.”</p>
<p>Lance flushed. “Oh. I...um…” Keith chanced a look at Lance, who seemed to be struggling. “You-you’re so…there’s never any avoiding things for you, is there? It’s all so easy. I-I…” he faltered, “I don’t know…”</p>
<p>“It’s okay,” Keith told him uncertainly. “I know it’s not always so black and white for everyone. You can ask me whatever, if it helps.”</p>
<p>Lance nodded. “Right. Thanks.”</p>
<p>“Anytime,” Keith gave him a tight smile.</p>
<p>“So...you might have to go on a Blades mission, huh?” Lance asked.</p>
<p>He looked down as he nodded. “Yeah. We’ve been working on something for a while, and we’re getting close to a breakthrough. Once I talk to Kolivan I should know more.” The elevator dinged as the door opened, and Keith stepped forward, frowning as he looked back. “I’ll let you know how the meeting goes,” he promised, and left Lance to stare after his retreating back until the doors slid closed again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance tried not to dwell too much on Keith while he was away. The thought of him in his Baldes uniform, tight black fabric stretched across the plane of his chest, combined with his usual worry about the unknown, possibly dangerous mission was enough to distract him from his own training with the Paladins. It had been bad enough that the others noticed, anyways. Hunk, curious about Lance’s changing mood, cornered him on the night Keith returned, knocking gently on Lance’s bedroom door after dinner.</p>
<p>“Hey”, Lance looked surprised to see him when the door slid open. “What’s up?”</p>
<p>“Nothin’,” Hunk shrugged. “Mind if I come in?”</p>
<p>“Sure,” Lance made his way back to the bed, where he sat down somewhere next to his pillow. “How’s Yellow’s foot?”</p>
<p>“She’ll be okay,” Hunk assured. “She’s tough. A little blaster ain’t gonna take her down.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Lance agreed easily.</p>
<p>“Yeah, not that I’m thrilled to see so many Galra around. It’s been a nice break from them lately...”</p>
<p>“You’re telling me.”</p>
<p>“So…” Hunk settled gingerly on the edge of the bed, eyeing Lance expectantly. “Anything new with you?” he tried.</p>
<p>Lance shrugged. “Been trying to perfect my flip turn. I think I can still shave a tick off my lap time.”</p>
<p>“Right,” Hunk nodded. “Keith said he went to see you in the pool the other day. Before he left.”</p>
<p>Lance tensed, but nodded. “Yeah.”</p>
<p>“So...what’s up with you two, dude?” Hunk finally spat out the words. “Are you, like-“ he made a crude gesture with his hands.</p>
<p>Lance flushed. “No!” He shouted defensively.</p>
<p>Hunk eyed him with scrutiny. “But you wanna, right?” Lance let out an indignant squawk and threw his pillow at the side of Hunk’s head. “Ah! Okay, I guess that’s a yes!”</p>
<p>“Hunk!?” Lance rubbed his face with his hands. “Jesus-“</p>
<p>“Does he...know?”</p>
<p>Lance groaned loudly, then finally peeled through his fingers to look at Hunk. “Kinda?” He squeaked, voice muffled by his hands.</p>
<p>“Huh. Okay,” Hunk nodded once. “That’s...a start. And he, like, totally wants you too, right?”</p>
<p>Lance grabbed his pillow back to hug it tight. “Um-maybe? I think so, at least. Unless he’s just being a dick-which, to be fair, he usually is-but uh...yeah?”</p>
<p>“Oh-kay, you wanna elaborate? What exactly did you tell him? And what did he say?” Hunk pressed.</p>
<p>“You’re being way too...urgh-“ Lance waved a hand about vaguely. “Too chill about this. This is Keith we’re talking about!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, and-?” Hunk rolled his eyes. “I thought we went over this already? You two are good together-in whatever sense you want to make of that.”</p>
<p>“Right,” Lance let out a long breath. “But...what if it’s not good. What if he realizes he can’t stand me after all? And I’ve never actually been with a guy-all I have is fantasies! And what if...I mean, it’s dangerous out here. What if something happens?”</p>
<p>“But that’s exactly it,” Hunk argued gently, “We do dangerous shit. Like, all the time. Why not spend now doing something that makes you happy? That makes you both happy? ‘Cause I’m like, ninety-nine percent sure that doing Keith would make you both very happy.”</p>
<p>“Hunk!” Lance’s face flushed.</p>
<p>“And all that other stuff-you’re just making excuses because you’re afraid, aren’t you? Well, fuck it,” Hunk told him seriously. “He’s definitely into you, and I don’t really know-or want to know- exactly what you’ve been fantasizing about, but I’m pretty sure you’ll be into it anyways when it’s with Keith.”</p>
<p>Lance groaned into his pillow. “I’m making this harder than it has to be, is what you’re telling me?”</p>
<p>“Kinda,” Hunk nodded, giving him a kind smile.</p>
<p>Lance sighed. “He...he basically told me to figure myself out and let him know if I was interested.”</p>
<p>Hunk’s smile widened. “So he’s already told you how he feels-?”</p>
<p>“I...yeah, not in so many words, but yeah. He takes things pretty head-on.”</p>
<p>“Huh,” Hunk tipped his head to the side to look thoughtfully at Lance. “You’d think him being so straightforward would make this easier for you to just say ‘yes’, but…”</p>
<p>“It would be easy to say ‘yes’...” Lance shrugged self-consciously.</p>
<p>“Then what’s the problem?”</p>
<p>He didn’t respond for a long few moments, and when he did, he spoke slowly, as if choosing each word carefully. “My Abuela says things that come easy go easy. And Keith has already proven that leaving doesn’t bother him.”</p>
<p>Hunk’s mouth rounded into a slow, silent ‘Oh’ of understanding, and he nodded once, defeatedly. “Gotcha,” he said gently. “Completely understandable.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Lance sulked, and let himself flop over, body folded practically in half as he pressed his face into the pillow. “And then there’s Allura,” he blurted.</p>
<p>Hunk looked up, surprised. “I didn’t realize Allura was a factor in this.”</p>
<p>Lance fidgeted with his hands. “I mean, she’s not...really. But I still just...I can’t help but feel like there might be something there if we tried-if we were closer? Maybe it’s nothing, or…I dunno. But then the whole thing with Keith...I guess we haven’t actually known her for very long, but flirting with her is fun, and if I did get to know her, and she reciprocated…” Lance shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe we would make a good couple?”</p>
<p>Hunk hummed in thought. “She’s an easy person to like,” he said noncommittally.</p>
<p>“Yeah. She’s great,” Lance sighed, letting out a small laugh. “She gets along with almost anyone. And Keith is pretty much the most abrasive person in the universe. But I don’t actually think he’s that bad-just don’t ever tell him I said that!”</p>
<p>“Sure,” Hunk promised easily.</p>
<p>Lance frowned. “It’s just...why does Slav get to decide how I feel? Why do probability and stupid equations decide who I want to be with?”</p>
<p>“He doesn’t. It doesn’t work like that,” Hunk gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “Remember, you can defy the odds. It’s our choices that create other realities. You are the one who decides how this reality plays out.”</p>
<p>Lance gave him a small, optimistic smile. “Hey, yeah. You’re right.”</p>
<p>“Of course I’m right,” he laughed.</p>
<p>Hunk stayed with Lance for another twenty minutes, keeping him company with a listening ear, and then understanding silence until Lance had fallen asleep. When he started to snore, Hunk made his way out of the room as stealthily as he could manage, trying not to disturb him.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Hunk’s careful exit turned out to be for naught, as he had only barely managed to slide into his own bed and close his eyes before the alarm went off. The Paladins all dove into their armor and bolted for the Lions as blasts rocked the ship.</p>
<p>“Paladins, please hurry!” Coran called through the comms.</p>
<p>“Almost there,” Allura assured. “Twenty ticks. What can you tell us?”</p>
<p>“It’s a Galran cruiser. Looks like it’s alone, about sixty fighters are heading our way, but there’s a cannon to worry about. We took the first hit, but it’s recharging now and shields are down seventeen percent already.</p>
<p>“Pidge, go in cloaked and take out that cannon,” Shiro ordered. “Lance, give her some cover fire.”</p>
<p>“Got it.”</p>
<p>“Right,” Lance answered, just as he jumped into the cockpit. Red was roaring out into open space in an instant, and Lance started firing. He focused on forging Pidge’s path first, but once she was on top of the cruiser, he bolted off for the others.</p>
<p>Lance weaved between Yellow as Hunk threw a fighter crashing into two others, and Blue, who seemed to be having fun with the jawblade. Off above them, Black was flying in erratic circles as Keith shot down fighters at regular intervals. Lance flew under them all and started picking off fighters one-by-one. Thirty-nine shots later and thirty-six fighters down, the cannon exploded.</p>
<p>“Good work, Lance! Pidge, anything?” Shiro called over the comm as Hunk whooped.</p>
<p>“Anyone wanna come take out this whole shebang with me?” Pidge asked.</p>
<p>“On my way,” Keith responded, before Lance even realized that he’d already spiraled away from the fighters he’d been engaged with and was heading back toward the cruiser at full speed, a blur of red and black.</p>
<p>“Keith, head to the portside exhaust vent. We’re going inside real quick. The hull on this thing is crazy reinforced. Our best bet is to go in on foot and destroy it from the inside.”</p>
<p>“Got it. Lance, can you take out my tail?”</p>
<p>“On ‘em,” Lance put a wall of blasts up through the group that was attempting to follow Black, and took off towards the two that managed to avoid the fire. They couldn’t quite catch up to Black at full speed, but with the head start they’d gotten and the debris of fifty or so odd fighters littering the airspace, Lance was having trouble getting close enough to land a hit. He realized, as Black started to slow down, what he needed to do. “Keith, there’re two on you still. Do you trust me?”</p>
<p>“Of course.” He answered immediately. “Do it.”</p>
<p>Lance took a breath and held it, even though he knew it wouldn’t do anything to steady his shots, it steadied his mind. The fighters were headed in straight paths, headed directly for Black, and Lance’s best chance at taking them out quickly was to follow in their path and take the shot directly from their wake-straight at Black. But if he missed-</p>
<p>Lance fired two blasts before the ramifications of his potential failure could fully register, and waited anxiously for the shots to land. There were two explosions, milliseconds apart from each other, and although Lance tried to verify the hit via the shrapnel, he didn’t actually breathe again until the smoke cleared and he could see Black, undamaged, as she came to a stop next to Green.</p>
<p>“You’re good to go, Keith.” Lance told him, and got into position to defend the opening to the exhaust vent and the two pilotless lions.</p>
<p>He held their position, shooting down any fighter that got too close, and simultaneously listened to the chatter coming through his helm. Pidge was giving Keith quick, concise directions of what to do, and within the minute, both Paladins were jetting back out to their lions.</p>
<p>“We’re coming out,” Keith warned. “Get away from the ship now!”</p>
<p>They all three took off away from the ship at lightning speed, and they didn’t stop until the ship started to explode behind them and the remaining fighters powered down. The lions came to a full stop and turned to see the ship engulfed in a fireball, shrapnel flying in every direction.</p>
<p>“Good job, guys,” Pidge told them over the comm.</p>
<p>“You two did all the work,” Lance said.</p>
<p>“We were only able to do it because we’ve got our sharpshooter watching our backs,” Keith responded.</p>
<p>“Right-urgh,” Pidge made a retching sound in the back of her throat. “Meet you guys back at the castle.” Green flew on ahead, leaving Red and Black to meander back.</p>
<p>Lance wasn’t sure what made him do it, but halfway back, he opened a private channel to Keith’s comm.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Lance smiled weakly, as Keith’s curious face appeared on-screen.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Keith replied, questioningly. He didn’t seem to know what else to say.</p>
<p>“I-uh-I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I put you in danger like that.”</p>
<p>Keith’s face smoothed out into a look of understanding before he replied, “I was never in danger. You wouldn’t have let me get hit.” Lance didn’t know what to say to that, and before he could put words together, Keith continued, “You did ask, even though you really didn’t have to. Look, if something like this happens again, just take the shot. I trust your aim, and I trust your judgement.”</p>
<p>“You-? Right. Okay,” Lance nodded jerkily.</p>
<p>On the screen, Keith seemed to be choosing his next words carefully. “I trust you, Lance. I need you to trust yourself.”</p>
<p>“I totally do,” Lance blurted, trying to regroup his confidence. “I mean, I’m the best shot on the team, duh.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, you are,” Keith smiled, holding back a laugh.</p>
<p>Lance opened his mouth again, unsure what to say to that, and wondered briefly why he had even opened a channel if all he was going to do was embarrass himself. “Uh-see you at breakfast?” Lance asked, resisting the urge to cringe at himself as the words left his mouth. Of course they’d see each other at breakfast-and also in the hangar, and probably on the way back to their sleeping quarters, which were only twenty feet down the hall from each other.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Keith looked like he might crack up into a fit of laughter, but he managed to keep it together, “I’ll probably see you in two minutes.”</p>
<p>Lance started at the screen as the private channel closed and groaned “Dios mio,” to himself before he realized that Keith-and everyone else-could hear him on the team comm.</p>
<p>Lance heard a snort from Keith, then Hunk asked, “You okay, Lance?”</p>
<p>“I’m good,” he said, a little too quickly. “I’m great.”</p>
<p>“Alright?” Hunk answered uncertainly, but ultimately let it go. “Get inside and get some sleep, man.”</p>
<p>“Thanks.”</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance started to keep a closer eye on Keith. He’d noticed Keith looking his way more-or had he just never noticed? Lance met his eyes-caught him looking across the training room for what must have been the third time this week-but Keith still didn’t bother to look away. Lance felt his face flush under the scrutiny and had to turn around.</p>
<p>“You okay?” Pidge frowned at him, and he nearly jumped because he hadn’t realized she’d walked in the door.</p>
<p>“Jesus! I’m fine, just don’t sneak up like that,” Lance insisted.</p>
<p>“Sure,” she eyed him warily, then shifted to the side to look behind him, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“What did you do to him?” Pidge asked Keith, sounding bored.</p>
<p>“I didn’t do anything,” Keith said evenly.</p>
<p>Lance whirled around to face him, incredulous, but unable to work out exactly what he had done to accuse him.</p>
<p>“Sure,” Pidge rolled her eyes. “Do you mind waiting ‘till later to give him an aneurysm? I need to borrow him.”</p>
<p>“Sure,” Keith shrugged.</p>
<p>“Borrow...me?” Lance finally turned back to Pidge, brow furrowed. “What for?”</p>
<p>“Hunk and I are running some tests on the lions.”</p>
<p>“What do I have to do with that?”</p>
<p>“We basically need you to sit in the cockpit and push a button while Hunk and I do the hard work.” She saw Lance hesitate, looking back at Keith. “Your boy can wait,” she rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>“He’s not-! That not-!!”</p>
<p>“C’mon,” Pidge pulled gently on his arm as he continued to sputter. “Later, Keith. I’ll return him in one piece,” she waved.</p>
<p>Keith chuckled weakly as he watched the spectacle that was Lance making an ass of himself, catching Lance’s eyes as he looked back over his shoulder, red-faced on his way out the door.</p>
<p>When the doors finally shut behind them, Keith sighed, his body sagging. He retracted his beyard and made his way over to a bench for some water, slouching as he sipped his water pouch.</p>
<p>That’s how Shiro found him, huddled on the bench and glaring moodily up at him.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Shiro took a seat gingerly next to him.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Keith returned unenthusiastically.</p>
<p>“So...brooding?” Keith rolled his eyes, but didn’t answer. “Brooding over Lance?” Shiro tried instead.</p>
<p>Keith choked on his water. “W-no, I’m not brooding over Lance,” he narrowed his eyes. “I’m just-I’m taking a break.”</p>
<p>“Eh,” Shiro shrugged. “So…”</p>
<p>“What, Shiro?” Keith demanded, exasperated. “Just please say whatever it is and let me get back to-“</p>
<p>“To brooding?” Shiro held back a laugh, only barely. Keith didn’t seem to think it was as funny. “Right. Well, I don’t know if it’s just because we’ve been running into more Galra instead of doing diplomatic missions-“</p>
<p>“You mean amateur theatre?” Keith cut in, rolling his eyes.</p>
<p>“-but regardless of the reason, I’ve noticed that you haven’t taken as many missions with the Blade lately.”</p>
<p>“And?”</p>
<p>“And I’m glad you’re making more of an effort to stay with the team,” Shiro told him honestly. “Even if it’s only because we’re attacking and being attacked more, and if you’re still not comfortable being the leader...and even if you’re only staying for Lance’s sake.”</p>
<p>“I do not base any of my decisions on what Lance wants,” Keith snarled, completely ignoring everything else he had said.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Shiro kept his voice calm and disarming. “But for whatever reason, I’m glad you’ve been here. And so is Lance.”</p>
<p>Keith shook his head, letting out a grunt of frustration. “I-he doesn’t care if I stay or go, Shiro.”</p>
<p>Shiro shook his head calmly. “That’s not true. He does, he’s just too stubborn to say it.”</p>
<p>Keith huffed out an angry grunt. “Sure. Look, it doesn’t matter what he thinks.”</p>
<p>“Okay. Well...I’m glad you’ve been around too.”</p>
<p>Keith looked like he wanted to be upset for a moment, like he wanted to keep arguing, but instead he let his shoulders drop and slouched back against the wall behind him. “Thanks,” he answered quietly. “I do enjoy being back more, it’s just…” he frowned, gesticulating frustratedly to show what words could not explain.</p>
<p>“I get why you want to help the Blade,” Shiro frowned. “I do. I just...I feel like Voltron is more important right now.”</p>
<p>“We don’t know that.”</p>
<p>“Voltron is the only thing that can stop the Galra,” Shiro started gently.</p>
<p>“Is it?” Keith asked. “Do we really know that?” Shiro blinked, his brows furrowing. “Allura and Coran believe that it’s true, and I’m not denying that it’s a powerful weapon in this war, but how do we know?”</p>
<p>Shiro laid a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “We don’t need to know that Voltron will defeat the Galra in order to do it, we just need to believe that it’s possible.”</p>
<p>Keith eyed him warily. “You are the most insistently optimistic quiznacking person I have ever met.”</p>
<p>Shiro grinned sheepishly, looking more like himself than Keith had seen him in months. “I try.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Keith waited until after the next Blade mission to talk to Kolivan. On a layover day at the crowded barracks while they waited for a transport shuttle, Keith went to Kolivan’s bunkroom and knocked at the open doorway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith?” Kolivan slid down off one of the bunks and glanced about the several curious occupants of the other beds. He inclined his head towards the door wordlessly, and they set a slow pace down the corridor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks for coming out,” Keith told him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kolivan nodded. “Of course. You wish to discuss a change in your mission focus, do you not?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith took a moment to process these words. “I’m that obvious?” He muttered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kolivan eyed him sideways, which Keith interpreted as something almost like an eye roll from the stonefaced man. “You have been spending more time with Voltron between missions, and you have reported that they have made significant allies in the quadrant and have increasingly begun to attract the attention of the Galra. I know that you asked for more missions with us when your teammates were doing their...</span>
  <em>
    <span>diplomatic </span>
  </em>
  <span>duties, but I am not surprised that you would wish to rejoin them now that battle is imminent.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That…” Keith paused. He sometimes forgot that the Galra didn’t do rhetorical questions and that if he asked, he would likely get a thorough and truthful answer. He still wouldn’t have expected such a long-winded response. “Uh-right. But I’m still on board to finish this investigation, however much longer this lasts.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kolivan nodded, coming to a stop in the corridor to face Keith. “You are honorable for offering this, but it is not necessary. We have other members who can step in.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith frowned. “I’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>like</span>
  </em>
  <span> to finish this out, if you will allow it,” he insisted. “I don’t like leaving unfinished business, and our team works well together. I would not want to send them into the next stage of this operation with a stranger.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kolivan considered him for a long moment, unblinking. “You are more honorable than many among us. I will assign you to finish this.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kolivan nodded, and paused again, but Keith was far past being unnerved by blank stares and long periods of quiet with the Galra. Maybe that’s why he was surprised when Kolivan spoke, “You will still be a member of the Blade, even if you are not actively taking missions. I hope that you find more success with Voltron, but more importantly, I hope that you are happier with them.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“My </span>
  <em>
    <span>happiness</span>
  </em>
  <span> is not what’s most important here. We need to win this war.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kolivan actually shook his head. “Do not forget why you fight the Galra,” he said quietly. “We fight so that people may live peaceful, happy lives. Everyone deserves that much, even us.” Keith was stunned. The words were almost impassioned in Kolivan’s monotone. “You have already done much to help the cause, and I know that you will continue to do so with or without our help. You are quite young for a human, if I am not mistaken? You should enjoy your youth.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never even seen you read a book, or play a game of cards. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> are telling </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> to enjoy life?” Keith asked incredulously.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kolivan considered him for a long moment. “My own reason to enjoy life is away on an assignment at the moment. I’ll be sure to make up for these past couple of years once I am able to more fully enjoy my free time.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was lost for words again, and another long pause stretched out before he could formulate a reply. “I understand. I hope they return safely,” he told Kolivan honestly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She will,” Kolivan nodded confidently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a lot more optimistic than you seem,” Keith noted with a smile that Kolivan did not match. “I think you’re a little bit like Shiro.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know about optimism, but I will consider that as a compliment,” Kolivan returned evenly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It was meant as one.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kolivan nodded curtly. “Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shook his head. “That was it. Thank you,” he repeated, and they parted ways without another word.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When Keith finally got back to the Castle, it was four-thirty A.M. and the only person on the bridge was Allura.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith, you’re alright!” She sounded relieved.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“‘M good,” he affirmed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened? The Blades said you were supposed to be back yesterday.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Got caught up between the last stop and here,” he tried to explain away tiredly. “Haven’t had time to sleep. Fill ya in tomorrow?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allura smiled sympathetically. “Of course.” She seemed to hesitate for just a moment then added, “Lance was really worried about you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s breath caught as he met her eyes. “I-he uh…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll be sure to let him know you’re back first thing when he wakes up,” she promised, dropping her gaze to the floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Keith managed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded once, decisively.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe don’t let ‘im near hangar twelve,” Keith added, clearing his throat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The shuttle...makes it look a little worse than it was.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I see,” Allura nodded again. “You’re sure you’re alright, Keith?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,’m good. Gonna go get some sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sleep well,” she told him softly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, Princess,” he lifted one hand in a lazy wave as he stepped out the door, then meandered slowly in the direction of his quarters.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced towards Lance’s door as he hit the panel to his own room, and hesitated. It sounded like Lance was already awake and moving around. There was a shuffling of footsteps, the slide of a drawer, and a moment of silence before the door opposite him slid open and Lance stood there, blinking at him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith?” Lance’s voice was low and rough from sleep. “You’re back,” he smiled slowly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yea-ah,” Keith answered clumsily.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>okay</span>
  </em>
  <span>? They said you’d be back yesterday.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Got delayed. ‘M fine though. Not even a scratch.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s good. You look like you need sleep though,” Lance told him gently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-yeah…like...two days of sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance laughed a little. “Go get some rest, okay? I’ll wake you up when Hunk is done with the food goo.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, that’d be great,” Keith smiled tiredly, pressing his hand to the control panel to his quarters. He barely even let the door shut behind him before he stripped down to his shorts and rolled into bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the door hissed back open, Keith startled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hhn?” Keith forced his eyes open, grabbing his blade from under his pillow as he affirmed that it had been two and a half hours since he’d lay down and not the three seconds he felt like he’d rested. His vision swam a little with exhaustion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t shank me,” Lance screeched. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith blinked a couple of times, taking in Lance’s anxious face hovering near the door, then relaxed, dropping his knife to the floor next to his bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ain’t gonna shank you,” he mumbled, letting his eyes close again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure fucking looked like it,” Lance snorted, but Keith heard him take a few steps inside anyways. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’,” Keith defended, although it came out as more of a pout.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You hungry?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Think ‘m jus’ gonna wait ‘till lunch,” Keith hummed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But I brought you breakfast,” Lance sung enticingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith wrenched his eyes open again, then took in a deep breath as he watched Lance set a plate and a water pouch on the nightstand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on,” Lance turned to face him, and Keith realized just how slow his reactions were as he was suddenly closer. A </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> closer. A hand on his wrist tugged, and Keith let Lance pull him up to sit. “You look like shit,” Lance told him gently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t all look as good as you,” Keith replied, and it wasn’t until he noticed Lance’s flushed face that he realized exactly what he had said-and that he’d said it while looking him straight in the eyes and Lance still had one hand wrapped loosely around his wrist. “Uh-what did you bring?” Keith asked in a weak attempt to divert the conversation. Belatedly, he remembered that he was also wearing nothing but shorts.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Um-it’s some new concoction. It’s not too bad.” Lance finally snatched his hand away from Keith’s skin and rubbed the back of his neck nervously with it instead. “Kinda tastes like muffins...but it has the consistency of calamari.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>not sellin’ it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance shrugged. “Give it a chance,” he urged, and grabbed the plate to practically shove it under Keith’s nose as he took a seat on the edge of the bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He took a piece of the ‘muffin’ and popped it into his mouth, unsure what to expect. “Hmm...different. It’s alright, I guess.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“See?” Lance beamed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith let him have a tiny smile. He finished chewing the bite and frowned, meeting Lance’s eyes again. “Hey,” he started slowly. “I-uh…I talked to Kolivan.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh?” Lance looked curious, if confused.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I told him that I’ll be staying with Voltron after my team’s current operation is complete.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Really</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!” Lance blinked at him. Keith was taken aback at how excited he was over this. Lance sounded like he </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanted him to stay, although something in his tone sounded hesitant. “So, you’re done running off with the space ninjas?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sighed. “Almost. I’m finishing out our current operation, which should only be three more missions if everything goes to plan. We’ve been coordinating this for a while,” he added, as he saw Lance’s face fall a little. “I’m going to finish what I started there, and then I’ll be done taking active missions with them.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. Have you told the others yet?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He shook his head. “No, just you.” Keith swallowed and set his plate on the nightstand. “Lance, I just…When I talked to Kolivan...well, he basically told me to like, follow my dreams, you only only live once, yada yada that kind of thing,” Keith cracked a smile, then watched Lance go through the stages of confusion, surprise and disbelief in quick succession, followed by a crack of laughter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-</span>
  <em>
    <span>Kolivan-?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith laughed. “Yeah. I know, the guy can’t get two words out that aren’t directly related to the mission, and then he goes and tells me to enjoy life and that we all deserve some peace and happiness. That boring old fuck has a heart somewhere under that suit.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance still didn’t look like he believed it. “O-okay…?” He reigned in his laughter. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, anyways, he got me thinking, and...he’s right. I mean, we could literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>die</span>
  </em>
  <span> out here in this bumfuck delta quadrant any day of the week. All it would take is one attack, y’know?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Lance’s mood was subdued in a moment as he dropped his gaze to the floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So...that’s why, as soon as my operation is done, I’m gonna be spending my time here-where I wanna be,” Keith swallowed hard and wrapped his hand loosely around Lance’s wrist. “With </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he added pointedly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance flushed, but he turned his hand over in Keith’s grip and brought his other hand up to catch Keith’s hand between both of his. “I-I think I’d like that,” he admitted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s face lit up with hope. “Oh?” he breathed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance paused, and seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “Look, I’ve been dragging my feet, and...I’m sorry,” he pressed his lips together nervously. “It’s just...it’s hard when you’re one of the only six people I ever get to see, and you’re the one I want to see the </span>
  <em>
    <span>most</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a-and…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And I’m always leaving, right?” Keith guessed quietly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“...Yeah,” Lance sighed. “And...To be perfectly honest with you, I sort of also have this old crush on Allura, but I...I don’t know, I don’t feel the same about her now...especially after the way she treated you, when she found out you were part Galra-“ he looked up frowning, “I didn’t know that side of her existed. And it’s not exactly a good side. I know nobody’s perfect, but…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “I just...I realized that I don’t really know her, but I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>-the good side </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> the bad-and...do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to leave again.” He finished lamely, voice lowering to almost a whisper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s breath was caught in his throat, and he had to force himself to take a breath before he replied, guiltily, “I understand. And...I’m sorry...I really, truly am sorry, but I </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to see this through. Then I’m going to be here full-time. For good...for </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Once you’re back...” Lance started, but whatever he was going to say next got stuck and he had to regather his thoughts. “You’re leaving again in three days, right?” Lance asked instead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s shoulders dipped. “Four.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance nodded once. “I just...I don’t think..I can barely take you leaving us </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I know you didn’t mean to hurt us...to hurt </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” Keith assured. “I understand. I just need to see this through.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I get it,” Lance nodded minutely. “I don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>like</span>
  </em>
  <span> it, but I get it. When you come back-for good, we’ll talk, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” Keith swallowed, and after a few long moments of clutching to each other’s hands and avoiding each other’s eyes, he couldn’t help but yawn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit, I forgot you’re running on, like, an hour of sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Two, maybe?” Keith grimaced.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Get back to sleep, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith could only nod graciously. “Okay. Thanks for breakfast,” he added.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Anytime,” Lance stood, finally letting their hands go. “Get some sleep,” he urged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shuffled back under the covers, feeling his eyelids heavy, but kept them open to watch Lance go. As the door slid shut, and just before his eyes closed completely, Keith caught a glimpse of Lance looking back over his shoulder with something like hope.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Keith kicked at a log </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard</span>
  </em>
  <span>, then immediately regretted it as the force reverberated through his boot and up his shin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Calm down,” Krolia told him evenly. “We’ll get back eventually.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith snarled in her direction as he stalked off into the treeline. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t go far,” she called.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pushed through the underbrush and walked until his vision was wet with tears and the ground in front of him was blurry. When he finally sunk to rest against a tree, knees against his chest, his entire body was shaking with the effort of not crying. One sob slipped out, much too loud in the still of the forest, and he tried to clamp a hand over his mouth to stop the rest, but it was too late.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’d botched the mission. He’d met his </span>
  <em>
    <span>mother</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His mother was an alien, which he’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>known</span>
  </em>
  <span> in some vague sense, but it was surreal to see her, alive and looking so much like himself and very, ridiculously purple. Most distressingly, though, he didn’t know when he’d see the team again-including </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lance</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith thought that Lance must have been worried by now. He would have been due back at least a day ago and the Princess would have inquired with the Blade, but the Blade wouldn’t have any answers either-just two missing members. They would be presumed dead eventually, Keith thought, and suddenly he realized, guiltily, how much it would hurt Lance when a week-month-maybe even years would pass without a sign of him. His absence would affirm Lance’s fears and even if Keith managed to get back eventually, how would Lance ever be able to trust him not to leave again? He sobbed </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard</span>
  </em>
  <span> at that thought, tears renewed as he clenched his teeth and let out loud, ugly noises between gasps for air, his chest heaving.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia found Keith curled up against the same tree two hours later, eyes puffy and red, and the skin on his cheeks and chin- and all the way past his collarbones-sticky with half-dried tears. He must have looked like a mess, but he didn’t try to explain anything to his mother as she led him back to camp. She would see the explanation play out regardless, in his memories of Lance-of his smile and his cheesy jokes and holding his hand not even a week ago, of Keith exhausted and shirtless and running his thumb over the back of Lance’s hand while he promised to come back and stay for him. When the wave passed, Krolia pulled him up and into a tight hug. “We will get you back to him,” she told him with determination.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was acting off. Even Pidge could see the change in his demeanor. He had been quieter the first week after they should have heard back from Keith, obviously worried. As the second week passed, he seemed to melt into anger, as evidenced by the three gladiators he had mangled with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>sword</span>
  </em>
  <span> instead of his usual rifle and by his new high score on Killbot Phantasm which Pidge was still struggling to match.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Still, she didn’t mention her worries to Hunk until it had been a full month since they had seen or heard from Keith, and Lance was beginning to simply dull. She caught the blank look in his eyes, the hollow pitch to his laugh-his jokes fewer and flat. He threw himself into strategizing attacks against the Galra and helping Shiro and Allura plan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, they had to move on. Shiro resumed his place in the Black Lion’s cockpit out of necessity, and the Paladins kept fighting. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even the way Lance fought was different now. Pidge missed hearing his joyous whoops of celebration when he landed a particularly hard shot, and the constant chatter he used to keep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Hunk, your nine!” </b>
  <span>Lance called out through their teeth, maneuvering Red around a tight turn to get at a cluster of fighters behind an asteroid. He took them out efficiently, without any extra flare or fanfare, and turned back around to cover Allura.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Thanks, buddy!”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance didn’t bother to respond, he just moved on to the next target.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a quick battle in the end-an easy victory after their last scrape with a fleet of battle cruisers. When they met up on the bridge afterward, Lance stood dull-faced with his arms crossed over his chest while Shiro spoke.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Great job out there, everyone. We had a great plan,” he nodded towards Lance appreciatively, “And it was well-executed. Everybody get some rest. I’ll go over the intel tonight and brief you in the morning, but from a quick glance it looks as promising as we expected.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Go team,” Hunk grinned, and held a flat palm up to Lance, but it was ignored. “Buddy, don’t leave me hangin’.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance sighed and slapped his hand half-heartedly on his way out of the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Man, he’s a quiznacking mess,” Pidge frowned at the door after it slid shut.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hunk grimaced. “He’s just…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Heartbroken?” Allura suggested quietly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We still don’t know what happened,” Shiro said firmly. “We </span>
  <em>
    <span>have </span>
  </em>
  <span>to believe that he’s out there somewhere...that he’s okay.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith’s a smart guy, and he’s tough,” Pidge nodded in solidarity, her tone stubborn. “No matter what, we </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>give up. I didn’t stop looking for my dad and Matt, and I won’t stop looking for Keith.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think that goes for all of us,” Hunk agreed. “Even Lance...just give him time.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you should go talk to him,” Shiro suggested gently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve tried,” Hunk sighed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So have I,” Shiro frowned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not really a people person,” Pidge defended, looking apologetic.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I could see if he wants to talk,” Allura volunteered. “Although I think it would be best to give him some time alone today. He’s quite agitated at the moment.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, usually he’d just go yell at Keith,” Pidge pointed out unhelpfully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, team,” Shiro cleared his throat. “You all need sleep and I need to sort through these translations.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, goodnight guys,” Hunk grabbed Pidge by the elbow. “Come on, I’m making you go to sleep today.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Damnit, Hunk!” Pidge huffed, as she was tugged out the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight,” Allura bid Shiro, and turned to leave. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro, however, stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “Allura-“ he started, brows furrowed. “Wait...can I ask you something? Something personal?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She hesitated. “Alright?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you have feelings for Lance?” She blinked up at him, surprised. “I know that after Lotor, you’re probably not too keen on anyone at all, but…I just get the feeling…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She sighed. “It’s true, I was quite upset when Lotor revealed his true nature, but…I also saw how much Lance was trying to protect me at that time, and I have to admit, I was a bit conflicted even then.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And now?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes hardened. “Now there’s Keith,” she told him with finality.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro nodded once, solemnly. “Right. Except Keith’s not here. Look, I just...I know Lance flirts with you-a lot-and I just don’t want anything to come between you two because of how messy things are right now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What is that supposed to mean?” Allura demanded. “You think that I would take advantage of him? You think that Lance would just forget that Keith existed? That he would jump ship and-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No-that’s not-“ Shiro interrupted quickly. “Lance wouldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> that. But he’s human. We </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> make mistakes, Allura, and I want to make sure that he doesn’t make one with you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t think we should date, then? That it would affect Voltron?” she asked sharply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I don’t think there would be any problems if you dated-eventually,” he sidestepped, then took a breath to gather his thoughts. “Look, I’m not exactly a relationship expert or anything, but I don’t think either of you are in the right mindset to start something. If you got together right now, I’m afraid it could be for the wrong reasons and neither of you deserve that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shiro,” Allura softened and sighed, looking toward the floor. “I’m not going to go jumping into things with Lance...if he even wants anything to do with me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro nodded, content with that answer. “I mean,” he rolled his eyes, “He </span>
  <em>
    <span>does</span>
  </em>
  <span> flirt with you like, constantly.” She looked back up, exasperated, as he counted off on his fingers, “At breakfast, during training, during missions-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That doesn’t mean a thing and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro gave a half shrug, but he cracked a grin. “But maybe it could?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allura pressed her lips together in a thin line. “I’ll keep your advice in mind,” she told him finally.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” he returned, “I’d better get back to this intel. I’ll wake Coran up in a while to take the bridge.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Try to get to bed at a decent time,” Allura admonished.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I will,” Shiro promised. “Goodnight.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allura shook her head doubtfully, but left him to his work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After what they assumed to be about two weeks on the back of the whale, Keith started to lose hope of ever finding the team again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For the most part, he and Krolia were busy scouting out a site and building a more permanent shelter that he didn't have much time to think about it. Only as he settled into bed, staring into the flames of their campfire, did the guilt and longing and hopelessness get to him, and then exhaustion would take over and he slept, dreamlessly and fitfully until Krolia or the wolf woke him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When the structure of their hut was finally complete, with a raised floor to keep the insects and moisture away, and sturdy walls and a roof to keep them dry in whatever weather they may face, they began to work on details. They spent a day gathering vines and braided them together to weave into hammocks. Krolia wasn’t very good at the finer details, but Keith was patient and precise.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Another week later, Keith tired of waking up to the chill mornings and started to scout out something they could use for blankets. He found a plant that seemed promising, and the next week’s downtime was spent twisting the fibers into string, which he then began to knit, however clumsily, into a blanket.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How’d you do that?” his mother asked, impressed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith hesitated, his hands slowing, “One of the families I lived with, the guy would knit dishcloths while he watched t.v. every night. I never learned, but I saw him do it often enough to work it out.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Krolia furrowed her brows. “Were...were the families you stayed with good to you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith blinked at the unexpected question. Despite the personal experiences they’d shared as the energy waves rolled over them, they hadn’t spoken much about what they saw. They asked questions here and there, names and places and little details, but when you could </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> every emotion the other had experienced during those memories, not much needed to be said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mostly,” Keith answered her honestly, because the majority of them </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> been good people. “Once I got into the Garrison, it didn’t matter anyways. I had Shiro.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia let a small smile spread across her face. “Tell me about him?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith slid the last stitch off the stick in his left hand and flipped the whole thing over to start another row. “He got me into the Garrison when I stole his car.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia’s expression turned to disbelief. “You did </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith laughed, probably for the first time since he’d left the Castle weeks ago, and as he did so another wave of quantum energy rocked him away from consciousness. In a moment, he was lost in the memory of Lance, half turned away and chatting animatedly with Hunk in the hangar. It was Keith’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>last</span>
  </em>
  <span> memory of Lance, and that fact stung harder than he anticipated. Lance was smiling and joking and poking Pidge in the ribs, which earned him a solid smack in the arm. Keith laughed as he watched Lance rub his arm gingerly, then look up to meet Keith’s eyes across the room. He gave Keith a half-hearted smile, as if asking him not to go, and Keith had to force himself to look away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You think of him often. Is he your husband?” Krolia asked softly, and only then did Keith fully remember that he was still sitting in front of the fire atop the whale, and that he probably wouldn’t see Lance again for a very long time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Keith answered roughly. Krolia didn’t seem to know how to respond, so after a few moments, he added, “He’s just a friend.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She frowned. “I’ve seen his face before...What is his name?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” he croaked. “He’s a Paladin.” Keith didn’t offer more, and his mother didn’t press. He went back to working on his blanket in silence until the wolf came to whine at him and eventually zapped him right onto his hammock, and subsequently into a pile of tangled limbs and fur on the floor beneath it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was another two weeks before Allura found the right time to really talk to Lance. They had been attacked on their way to meet with some of the coalition forces, and Yellow had suffered some pretty severe injuries that set them back for days. Lance had seemingly doubled down on his duties, teleconferencing daily with the Blades to offer tactical advice, and Allura had been just as occupied with the coalition. When she found him in the kitchen late at night, hunched over a mug of tea, she hesitated. She couldn’t really see his face, just the back of his head bent forward and shoulders rounded over and shaking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” she announced herself softly as she stepped into the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His back straightened, shoulders tensing, but he didn’t look back or answer right away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Princess,” he answered roughly, without facing her. He tried to surreptitiously wipe at his eyes with the palm of his hands, but quickly realized the futility of the gesture and huffed out a shaky, wet breath as he reached for a towel instead. Allura slid up beside him, delicately choosing the seat next to instead of directly in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“May I?” She asked, reaching for the pot of tea. Lance waved a hand. “Thanks.” He took a few more calming breaths while she poured a mug for herself and sipped. “We’re going to find him, you know,” she told him confidently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance shook his head. “I’d almost rather we didn’t,” he admitted hoarsely, and looked immediately guilty.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose that’s understandable,” she nodded once, after considering it for a moment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance halted. “It-it is?” he asked thickly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course. He’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span> you, obviously. I can’t pretend to know what exactly happened, but whether he left on purpose or not, it is only natural not to want to put yourself in harm’s way again.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance sniffed. “I guess...that makes sense,” he said dully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s okay to be worried</span>
  <em>
    <span> and</span>
  </em>
  <span> upset with him,” she added, with a gentle smile. “Those feelings aren’t exclusive.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance hunched back over the counter, glad not to have to look her in the eyes. “I just...I don’t even know what </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I want to hate him for leaving, and I want to forget everything that happened between us, and I want to punch him in his stupid face for promising me-“ Lance’s breath hitched. “-for </span>
  <em>
    <span>vanishing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and I just...I just want to know that he’s okay…” Lance finished in a shaky whisper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allura wrapped both arms around him and pulled him sideways across the stools into a strong embrace. Lance began to sob in earnest, and Allura just kept holding on tight; until their tea was cold and they were both beyond exhausted and Lance had finally stopped shaking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is ridiculous,” Lance said finally, taking in a deep sigh and letting the breath out slowly. “There’s literally nothing between Keith and I. We’ve never even kissed but I feel like I got dumped the day before prom.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allura let her arms drop so that he could sit back up straight, but kept one hand on the shoulder closest to herself, rubbing soothingly. “It’s not ridiculous,” she assured, despite not knowing what prom was or why it would be any worse than getting dumped on another day.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> ridiculous,” Lance insisted miserably.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allura glanced sideways, “Lance, what exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>has</span>
  </em>
  <span> changed between the two of you? We...well, we could all sort of tell, you know, that you two were closer, but…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I dunno, we just...talked a little.” Lance rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s such an asshole, you know? But he’s also sort of...</span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you know? You know that he had already talked to Kolivan about leaving the Blades,” Lance started, then frowned. “He told me that he wanted to be here with </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And...we sort of implied that once he was back-for good-that we would maybe…I dunno, be </span>
  <em>
    <span>together</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You two actually acknowledged that you have feelings for each other, but you didn’t even sneak in a goodbye kiss?” Allura shook her head incredulously.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I had to be sure he meant it first,” Lance told her seriously. “That he really wouldn’t leave again. And good thing, because he </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Lance,” Allura breathed. “I’m sorry..”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You aren’t the one who owes me an apology.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She cast her eyes downward. “I do, to an extent. I know that it was partially my attitude that drove Keith to the Baldes in the first place. I’m ashamed of how I treated him whe I learned of his lineage, and I know that it pushed him away from the team. For that, I am truly sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was quiet for a long moment. “I don't think anything would be different.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps, but I’d regret it anyways.” Allura told him plainly. She reached for her mug, took half a sip before she spat the cold tea back into the mug, and sighed. “I think we need to make a new pot.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I’m good, thanks,” Lance declined, getting up to dump his own leftover tea in the sink. “I should go to bed, try to get back to a normal sleeping pattern after the super short days on that last moon.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course,” she blinked at him as he frowned and took a step closer. Lance brought a hand up to her arm, just barely brushing against her elbow as if he had wanted to hug her but had stopped halfway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Lance told her quietly, letting his hand drop as he sidestepped away and into the corridor before Allura could formulate a response.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After months atop the cosmic whale, Keith had come to a shaky understanding of the visions they saw as the quantum waves hit. The visions of the past were real; memories of events that had actually happened in this specific reality, accompanied by the emotions of whichever of them had experienced that event. It was a strange sensation of being lost in the vision, unable to shift back into his current consciousness, while still being aware, if he gave enough thought to it, that he was actually still sitting on the hard ground atop the whale.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The visions of the future were only possibilities, though. Keith had come to this conclusion based only on a few subtle contradictions, but he was certain that these visions were only of </span>
  <em>
    <span>a </span>
  </em>
  <span>future not </span>
  <em>
    <span>the</span>
  </em>
  <span> future, and he had realized that the emotions they felt during these waves were their own shared reactions in real time, not fabrications of emotions that they might feel if the vision had come to pass. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Frustratingly, the quantum waves seemed to be tied most closely with strong emotions, so for a while, the majority of their shared visions were of extremes; of times of elation and times of great pain.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith learned early on that his mother had not made the decision to leave him lightly. He had </span>
  <em>
    <span>felt </span>
  </em>
  <span>her heartbreak at leaving him behind, watching stars blur past out the windshield of an unfamiliar cockpit, knowing that Earth-and a much younger version of himself-lay behind. He had also felt her heavy, fear-fueled resolution and through that combination understood that she had been prepared to die for her cause, but not for her family to share that fate.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith had, in turn, been forced to relive the memory of his father’s passing. Krolia was not the same for days after, and Keith was left feeling guilty because he knew that she had been able to feel every bit of anger and bitterness and loneliness that he had harbored toward her then. She seemed to understand, when he caught her eye and placed a hand on her shoulder to ask if she was okay, that those feelings were in the past, but it was not much easier to process.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once they had gotten over the most traumatic and most joy filled moments, the waves began to come less often, and they tended to show more mundane things. To Keith’s embarrassment, a lot of his visions-past </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> future-featured Lance heavily.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes Lance was just holding his hand; only once in a memory- the memory of </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> morning, but several more times in futures yet to come to fruition. One particularly embarrassing wave had conjured an image of Lance, several years older, sitting on a porch in the evening sun of what looked like Earth. Behind Lance, however, a field of otherworldly red flowers told Keith that it wasn't home. In the vision, Keith traced along Lance’s jaw then swiped the top of his cheekbones with his thumbs, where Lance had two glowing marks akin to Allura or Coran’s. He kissed him then, and although Keith of the present knew that this reality would not come to pass for him, he felt the hope and longing and heartsickness well up within him as if it were a viable future all the same. This one felt so </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span>, as if it were an inevitability and not an alternate possibility. Keith thanked the stars-and simultaneity cursed them-when he was pulled from the vision and found himself clutching the wolf’s fur in his hand, looking around at the quiet clearing that was his home for now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia cleared her throat, and Keith rubbed at his face in embarrassment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>-” Keith cut off whatever she had been about to say and Keith wrapped his arms around the wolf.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The wolf, who was now noticeably bigger in his arms than he’d been last month, licked his face and zapped him away, depositing him on the bank of the nearby stream.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good boy,” Keith gave the mane of fur around his neck a good shake and hugged him tighter. “Good boy…” Keith repeated, and let his chin rest atop the wolf’s head.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter Seven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lance was slowly coming back to himself as the months since Keith’s disappearance crept by. Hunk had noticed, of course, and made a comment as they sat in the lounge watching an Altean drama play out with their communicators, including translators, off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s all like ‘Oh, Mr. TDH,’” Lance clasped his hands together dramatically in a swoon. “‘Won’t you fight alongside me in the arena?’”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god, he’s just like ‘uhhh…I’m going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>die</span>
  </em>
  <span>.’” Hunk squealed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They burst out laughing as the camera panned from the man’s terrified face to the monster in the gladiator-style fighting pit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, she just realized her love interest is a scaredy-cat. Aaaand she doesn’t care, she’s cheering him on and hoping he won’t fucking die,” Lance narrated. “Tall, dark and handsome wins out despite his shortcomings.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god, do all Alteans suck face like they’re trying to literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>eat </span>
  </em>
  <span>the other person?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>god</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Lance groaned, “Is this gonna go softcore porn?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, like </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>’d object? We know you like ‘em tall and handsome,” Hunk teased.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god, shut </span>
  <em>
    <span>up</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Hunk.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What! It’s true,” he said. “You have a type, man.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>both </span>
  </em>
  <span>shorter than me!” Lance blurted, and only in the beat of silence that followed did he realize what he’d just admitted. “Uh-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hunk managed to clear his throat and give a small sigh, and just like that he wasn’t joking around anymore. “Look, dude, are you, like...okay? You were pretty...I dunno-you were really off when Keith first disappeared. And I know things were sort of complicated to begin with…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Lance insisted, just a little bit too forcefully for it to be true.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, seriously,” Lance protested, sagging into the couch. “I uh-I talked to Allura about it.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance nodded. “A while ago. She’s...she’s a good listener.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, okay. Cool.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Not that you aren’t, buddy. I just...I think it’s time to forget about Keith. I mean, not that we’re going to stop </span>
  <em>
    <span>looking</span>
  </em>
  <span> for him, just…I don’t think I can handle...y’know? If he comes back-or...doesn’t…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s okay, I know what you mean. I get it,” Hunk placated.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They settled back to watching the Alteans on the screen, but neither Lance or Hunk could be bothered to provide commentary any longer so they just watched as the actors chattered incomprehensibly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Paladins!”</b>
  <span> Coran’s voice boomed through the castle’s communication system jolting them both upright. </span>
  <b>“We’ve received a distress signal from nearby. We are en route to the location now. Please report to your lions immediately!”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Lance sighed, but he hauled himself up from the couch with Hunk and they rushed to their hangars to suit up while Coran wormholed them to the beacon.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Pidge? What do you think of this?” </b>
  <span>Allura asked as they approached the source of the distress call.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance took in the asteroid field on his screen, littered with debris.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“What happened here?”</b>
  <span> Hunk asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“There used to be a planet here,” </b>
  <span>Coran told them solemnly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Well, I don’t think there much left here to rescue now,”</b>
  <span> Lance said bitterly. </span>
  <b>“Where’s the signal coming from?”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Sorry, Princess. I can’t get an exact location. The debris is giving us too much interference,” </b>
  <span>Pidge told them. </span>
  <b>“There’s some heavy metal ore all through this place.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Go slow though here,”</b>
  <span> Shiro warned, and began to lead them into the debris field. </span>
  <b>“Could be a trap.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Then why don’t we just…</b>
  <b>
    <em>not</em>
  </b>
  <b> walk into the trap?” </b>
  <span>Lance suggested.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Paladins,” </b>
  <span>Allura’s voice rang disapprovingly over the comms. </span>
  <b>“We have a duty to defend innocent civilians from the Galra. If there’s even a chance that there are people in trouble here-“</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Yeah, yeah, we’re walking into her trap. Got it,” </b>
  <span>Lance interrupted the familiar spiel. </span>
  <b>“I’m just sayin’, what if one of these times, we </b>
  <b>
    <em>don’t?</em>
  </b>
  <b> Look-there’s a fucking Galra fighter at ten o’clock.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Wh-quiznack,”</b>
  <span> Hunk pulled back hard on his controls as Lance’s beams blasted the small ship, which had been hiding between a chunk of rock and something that might have been a building.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Eyes open,”</b>
  <span> Shiro warned, slowing them all down. </span>
  <b>“Circle up, everybody. Cover all angles. Proceed with caution.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They drifted through the debris field slowly, expecting to find more Galra, but as the minutes ticked by, no more appeared. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Do you think it was just a scout?” </b>
  <span>Hunk asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Could have been,” </b>
  <span>Shiro sounded uneasy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“If we go back to the one Lance shot up, I might be able to go and retrieve some info about its last functions.” </b>
  <span>Pidge offered. </span>
  <b>“Depends on how badly damaged it is.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“I’d rather you stay in your Lion,” </b>
  <span>Shiro said. </span>
  <b>“We don’t need to take unnecessary risks.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“What’s that?” </b>
  <span>Allura asked, as Blue’s head careened to the left and she came to an abrupt stop. </span>
  <b>“Some kind of communications apparatus?”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Allura, don’t-!” </b>
  <span>Lance warned, but she had already engaged Blue’s boosters and was halfway through the debris field toward a mostly-intact antenna.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“It’s a relay station,” </b>
  <span>Allura breathed as she came to a stop in front of it. </span>
  <b>“But it’s…massive. It must have picked up signals from </b>
  <b>
    <em>quadrants</em>
  </b>
  <b> away.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Princess, we need to be </b>
  <b>
    <em>cautious</em>
  </b>
  <b>,” </b>
  <span>Shiro told her. </span>
  <b>“We can't afford for you to get separated from the group.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Oh-! Sorry,” </b>
  <span>she said sheepishly, turning around to face the others, who had followed in formation as best as they could manage. </span>
  <b>“I...I wasn’t thinking. My apologies.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Just be more aware in the future.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance agreed, but something about Shiro’s tone made him frown. It hadn’t been the tone of gentle disappointment that Shiro had seemingly perfected during their training: Shiro had said it in a way that was almost callous despite the fact that he hadn’t actually raised his voice; an undertone of uncaring that made him pause. Now, however, was not the time to dwell on it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Pidge, is it possible this thing might be capable of picking up Galra communications?”</b>
  <span> Shiro asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“In its current state? No,” </b>
  <span>Pidge answered easily. </span>
  <b>“Before someone made it explode? Probably. Galra communications aren’t all that hard to intercept-just hard to </b>
  <b>
    <em>decipher</em>
  </b>
  <b>.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Why don’t we do a thorough search and if no more Galra fighters show up, we can check out this and the beacon for some clues as to what happened here,” </b>
  <span>Allura suggested.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“We’ll see if we can remotely access any helpful information from the beacon,” </b>
  <span>Shiro insisted, </span>
  <b>“And then we leave.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance frowned, but kept quiet. The others argued for a few moments but he tuned them out and scanned his eyes through the debris, goosebumps breaking out over his back despite the fact that didn’t see anything amiss. Nothing </span>
  <em>
    <span>felt</span>
  </em>
  <span> right.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Guys, can we just go?” </b>
  <span>Lance asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Uh-?”</b>
  <span> Hunk sounded concerned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“This place is giving me the heebies. Seriously, can we </b>
  <b>
    <em>go</em>
  </b>
  <b>?” </b>
  <span>He kept looking out at the floating pieces of what had formerly been a planet, scanning for movement and fingers itching for something to shoot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allura dug in her heels, </span>
  <b>“Lance, we are the defenders of the-“</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“I </b>
  <b>
    <em>know</em>
  </b>
  <b>, but this is just…”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Lance, it’s okay,”</b>
  <span> Hunk told him. </span>
  <b>“This place is scary, I know. Just try to breathe. We’ll be done soon.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“I’m not </b>
  <b>
    <em>scared</em>
  </b>
  <b>, I’m telling you-“</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Lance,” </b>
  <span>Shiro raised his voice. </span>
  <b>“That’s enough. Pidge, are you getting anywhere?”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“I’m working on it,” </b>
  <span>she answered distractedly, then a pause before she explained, </span>
  <b>“There’s some sort of weird encryption here. It’s some kind of biochemical data system. It’s sort of amazing, actually, but it’s really complicated and it’s definitely not helping me figure this out faster.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Can you get the data?” </b>
  <span>Shiro pressed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Probably. I just need a few minutes.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Everyone else stay on guard,”</b>
  <span> Shiro ordered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Trust me, we’re already on it,” </b>
  <span>Lance said tersely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took Pidge approximately two minutes and thirty-seven seconds to gain access to the information she was looking for. It was eerily quiet in the meantime and the only movement outside of their guard was the slow glide of rubble through space. Lance nearly shot a blaster when a chuck of rock crunched against a ruined piece of metal, sliding against it so slowly that it seemed to vibrate the metal like the sawing of a guttural violin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Alright, here we go,” </b>
  <span>Pidge poked at her screen with satisfaction. </span>
  <b>“We’re in.” </b>
  <span>Unfortunately, the moment Pidge started to download information, the silence was broken by the soft whirring of an engine. They all froze, then suddenly it kicked into gear and the whir crescendoed into a roar.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Shit.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Where is it?” </b>
  <span>Lance whipped his head around frantically.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“My sensors show nothing!” </b>
  <span>Hunk shouted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Stay calm,” </b>
  <span>Shiro ordered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“There!”</b>
  <span> Lance spotted the anomaly, a ship sized patch of space unspoiled by debris, surrounded by rocks that were starting to vibrate with the thrum of the ship.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Good eye, Lance. Allura, send a sonic boom, can you get us a visual?”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She slammed her beyard into the control panel and turned, and suddenly they saw the outline of the ship illuminated by sonar, looming above them as it powered on. Despite the lack of detail provided by their sonar view, the ship was distinctly shaped like a Galran cruiser.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Hunk, take out that cannon! Pidge, his six!”</b>
  <span> Shiro commanded. </span>
  <b>“Allura, you’re our eyes until the cloaking is disengaged! Lance activate your jawblade-you take starboard, I’ll take port. Everyone </b>
  <b>
    <em>go</em>
  </b>
  <b>!”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They set out and made quick work of the ship, managing to destroy the cannon and the majority of the big guns before they could reach full power, and Pidge managed to seal hangar doors closed so that most of the drones had no chance to launch. Within the minute, Lance and Shiro were finished, the ship was no more than another pile of debris in the already polluted field.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Good work, team.” </b>
  <span>Hunk told them smugly. </span>
  <b>“That thing is tinfoil right now.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Hunk!” </b>
  <span>Lance fried a blaster over Yellow’s shoulder. </span>
  <b>“Round two!”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Aw shit, seriously?”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They turned to face the new arrivals. A fleet met them, about twenty Galra vessels of various size, cannons already powered up and all aimed at the Lions.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Paladins, form Voltron!” </b>
  <span>Shiro called.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took them a couple of tries to get into formation with so many cannons firing on them at once, but Lance managed to just barely skirt a blast that threatened to knock him off course and they joined on the third attempt. The battle was almost easy once Volton had come together. They had fought worse in the recent months, and although the ease with which they wrought destruction him a bit, Lance couldn’t help but feel a smug satisfaction as they ripped into the hull of the last cruiser; smug satisfaction that they were now powerful enough to take on a fleet with ease and the grim satisfaction that he had been right, that they had walked into a trap-again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>“Good work, Paladins,”</b>
  <span> Shiro called over the comms. </span>
  <b>“Let’s get what we need and get back to the Castle.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith had lost track of how long he had been on the whale. He and Krolia still kept track of the days, but without actually knowing how long those days actually were, counting was a vain comfort. The only real comfort was that they were pretty sure they were almost through the quantum abyss, if the frequency of the waves was any indication. This gave Keith hope. When the waves hit now, his visions had returned to focus on Lance again; of the possibility of their future. Sometimes it was of them together, living some far-off life that was peaceful and happy. Other times, he saw visions of Lance with Allura instead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia, thankfully, was sleeping when a wave hit and Keith was bombarded by another vision of Lance. This time they were in a home that Keith didn’t recognize, slipping through a wreath-decorated front door into a dark hallway lined with photos of a tan-skinned family-Lance’s family, he realized, catching a glimpse of a young Lance in one of the portraits. Lance took his hand and pulled him upstairs, shushing him with a giggle, and Keith followed easily, stairs rushing past in a blur. He vaguely registered tinsel draped on the banister and thought that it must be Christmas in the McClain household. In the vision, Keith didn’t dare to breathe until Lance had tugged him into an open door and closed it oh-so-gently behind them, careful not to make a sound. The moment the door shut, Lance turned and smashed them together inelegantly, mashing their lips together messily and tugging Keith’s hips into his own.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By now, Keith was usually pretty aware of what was going on in the physical world while he watched the visions, and somewhere in the back of his head he knew that he was atop the whale, but this one felt so </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He was swept up in the feeling of Lance’s lips and tongue, of his ass beneath Keith’s palms and the friction of his too-tight jeans. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until Lance pulled away to undress him that he noticed the marks on Lance’s face; the same Altean-style marks glowing dimly from his cheekbones as Keith had seen in a few of his earlier visions. The truth hit him then, that this future was not of his universe, no matter how real it felt to him. Suddenly, he was more aware of the real world; of the hammock beneath him and the wind blowing through the open door of the hut to tickle his hair against the side of his neck-right where Lance in the vision had been sucking only a minute ago.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In the vision, Lance had gotten Keith’s shirt off now and was working on his belt buckle. He pulled his lips away from Keith to grin at him for a moment, then dropped to his knees. Lance palmed him through only a thin layer of cotton, then to Keith’s immense frustration and relief, the vision ended there, looking up at the glow-in-the-dark starred ceiling of Lance’s childhood bedroom in a vain attempt to make the moment last longer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He blinked, and suddenly he was looking at the familiar ceiling of the hut instead. Keith took several deep breaths, listening closely. He could vaguely hear Krolia’s deep, rhythmic snores and breathed out slowly. He tiptoed out of the hammock, alerting only the wolf, who laid his head back down reluctantly when Keith offered a single open palmed signal to stay.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He walked the short distance to a creek, where he knelt in the warm water and, checking over his shoulder one last time, pulled himself out and began to stroke. Unlike most times, he didn’t even make an attempt to deny himself the pleasure of imagining Lance. It would have been impossible with the picture of him, looking up longingly from between Keith’s thighs, so fresh in his mind. He came quickly, and it took him a few moments to recover. He slumped, the sound of the water rushing past and frogs singing returning to his ears, and he swallowed hard as reality hit him; that he was alone, in the wilderness, still sticky with come and unlikely to ever have a relationship with Lance, if he would even see Lance again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith blinked back tears, the stream in front of him blurring, and swallowed again to try to stop them, but as he moved to clean himself up and re-dress, sobs wracked his body. He managed to tuck himself back in and brought his knees to his chest as he clenched his teeth and allowed himself to cry-for his guilt, for how much he missed the all Paladins, and for the future with Lance that would never come to be.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ketih did not remember going back to the hut, but when he woke in the morning, he was tangled in the hammock with the wolf and his mother didn’t seem to have noticed-or at least didn’t comment on-his red eyes or hoarse throat in the morning.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As months passed, Keith began to see more visions of a future in which it was Allura holding hands with Lance instead of Keith, and there was no way to hide how much it hurt him from his mother. She stayed quiet for the most part, offering support mostly in the form of silent companionship instead of sugary words and uncertain reassurances. Her solidarity was more of a comfort than any words would have been anyways, and Keith was grateful to have her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was not without her own inner turmoils, of course. She had cut ties to her own parents, who were loyal to Zarkon, and then abandoned Keith and his father once she had found a family again. Her hatred for Zarkon was rivaled only by her hatred for herself, and Keith offered her the best comfort he knew how, in the form of quiet, heavy conversations.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Zarkon doesn’t care about them,” Keith told her gently. “He would send them to their deaths in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>heartbeat</span>
  </em>
  <span> if he felt like it. You did what you had to do to protect them, didn’t you? Like you did for me and Dad.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know that, but if I had not joined the Blade, I would not have been a danger to them at all. Or to you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t have even met Dad-you wouldn’t have </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> me. Besides, could you really have worked for him? Because I don’t think your conscience could have let you do Zarkon’s bidding.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia sighed, shoulders slumping. “I know. You’re right. And it’s true, the best thing I ever did was make you, and I would not have done that had I not joined the Blade and met your dad.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith struggled to put his next thoughts into words, but finally he told her, “You left the people you loved the most for purely selfless reasons. I left the people I loved because I didn’t want them to leave </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>. So...I guess I’m saying you’re a better person than I am.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” Krolia’s face softened. “I know you know this, but I hope you understand how much I truly wish I had been able to come back for you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, Mom,” he sighed. “I mean, </span>
  <em>
    <span>literally</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I’ve seen it,” he gestured vaguely to indicate the quantum abyss.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia knocked her shoulder into his and smiled sadly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sighed, “Do you think we’re close? Do you think we’ll find home once we get through the abyss?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> get home. I don’t know where we’re going to come out, but we </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> get back to Earth,” Krolia told him firmly. “You deserve to return home.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was silent for a long minute. “Where is </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> home?” He asked finally. Krolia blinked, taken aback by the unexpected question. “I mean, I’ve seen glimpses of your childhood, and I’m assuming that was home, but...I don’t actually know where that is-or was?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia gave a slow nod as she understood the question.“Well, I was born in the Kalistai system on a Galran colony on moon theta-nine which orbits the fifth gaseous body of the beta star.” Keith opened his mouth, caught off guard for a moment by the sheer scale of just how much he didn’t understand of all that. Krolia, however, continued, “But I never had any affection for that place. My home was Earth, where everyone I loved was. It was the only place that ever felt like a home to me, and now that you and your dad aren’t there, the closest thing I have to home is wherever you are.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith hadn’t expected that answer, and it took him a few moments to register what she had said. “Oh,” he blinked, then let out a long breath and pulled her into a side-armed hug. She seemed surprised at his open affection, but returned the embrace fiercely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do...do you think you could ever love someone again after Dad?” Keith asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia pulled away to study his face, and after a long deliberation she chose not to answer but instead told him, “Don’t give up on him just yet.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve seen the visions,” Keith said quietly. “He’s with Allura. And the only universe that feels like we have a good thing going together isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> one.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We don’t know what the future holds, or even much of the present besides what happens on this whale. So please, don’t give up. I know how you feel for him,” she added, and Keith realized that that was not a platitude, that she literally had experienced secondhand what he felt for Lance through the visions. Keith nodded glumly and let his shoulders sag. “Your choices determine what will happen. You don’t follow a set path, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>choose</span>
  </em>
  <span> to love. You choose your own future.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith swallowed hard. “Thanks, Mom.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She gave him a tight smile, and knocked her shoulder into his again. Keith jostled her back harder, and the movement woke the wolf at his feet, who promptly pounced on him</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah-</span>
  <em>
    <span>hey</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Keith tackled the wolf back. “No licking! Aw, </span>
  <em>
    <span>gross</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Krolia laughed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, wolf,” she said, standing up. “It’s dinner time.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The wolf licked his face one last time and zapped over to her happily, jumping at her side and wagging his tail.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I see where your loyalty lies,” Keith snorted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The wolf looked back and zapped to him, wove beneath his armpit and zapped him halfway to the hut, dumping him on the ground ahead of his mother.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter Eight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is getting WAY too cliche!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is a diplomatic mission,” Allura told the Paladins calmly, hands clasped in front of her as she addressed them on the bridge. “To wear armor would be disrespectful to our hosts.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“With all due respect, Princess,” Shiro frowned, “I don’t think going in unarmored and unarmed is advisable.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Hunk piped in worriedly, “I mean, you’re saying these people were peaceful ten thousand years ago, but who knows what they’re like now, or if they’re even down there. We haven’t seen any sign of them yet.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“They may have been taken over by the Galra centuries ago for all we know,” Pidge added.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Allura looked conflicted. “But the Weitians are <em> extremely </em> easily offended. We would be approaching them as one would greet enemies, not potential allies.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But the only thing we have to offer them as allies is our strength,” Shiro argued. “We should show them that we are a strong ally.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Allura frowned disapprovingly. “Well, we are a team, so perhaps we should put it to a vote. Who would prefer to go peacefully in civilian clothes?” There was a long pause in which she held her hand up, alone. “And to go armored and armed?” The remaining Paladins all raised their hands and she looked dejected. “Very well. I suggest that we attempt to not use those weapons.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Princess, it’s not that we don’t want to be peaceful,” Hunk told her gently, “It’s just that everyone is a little on-edge here and this sector isn’t safe. We’ve been taking a lot of risks lately and I just think we need to be careful.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I understand,” she told him with a finality that told the others just how unhappy she was with the decision. For added emphasis, she turned and left the room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Coran, from his place at the main computer, glanced over at the Paladins. “Maybe we should..speak with her?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ll talk to her,” Shiro offered, and like the other day, there was something in his tone that Lance couldn’t place. He spoke in his usual voice, but something about it put him on edge. Lance frowned at Shiro’s back as he followed the Princess down the corridor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Dude?” Hunk’s hand landed on Lance’s shoulder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you think Shiro’s okay?” Lance asked, purposefully casual so as not to relay his misgivings.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hunk’s hesitation was answer enough for Lance. “I...don’t know,” he admitted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance rocked on the balls of the feet for a moment. “Right. I’m gonna go train,” he sighed. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He only made it a few corridors toward the training deck before quick footsteps caught up to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Pidge?” He slowed and turned as she slowed her pace to match him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey,” she started hesitantly. “You’ve noticed it too-about Shiro?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They came to a full stop. “Uh-yeah. Thing is, I don’t really know what’s up with him lately. I can’t put my finger on it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Pidge looked down, scratching her arm awkwardly. “It’s just...he’s been acting off, but then when we form Voltron, he still feels like the same old Shiro. It started before Lotor came aboard, so I can’t even blame that creep. It’s like...this weird dichotomy between what I feel through our connection with Voltron and what he’s actually saying and doing.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance stared at her, mouth hanging open for a few moments. “<em> Exactly </em>,” he said, pieces clicking together in his head. “Like how I can feel when Hunk’s afraid before he starts complaining about wanting to go into a defensive position, and I can feel Keith when he’s-“ Lance stopped himself short, and deflated a little. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“When he’s angry and about to do something reckless?” Pidge finished, taking pity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance let out a dry laugh. “Yeah. Um...but...with Shiro, it’s like watching a dubbed movie where the lips are moving but you can tell the animation isn’t meant to be saying the words you’re hearing.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pidge snorted at the analogy, then sighed, biting her lip. “Do...do you think that Shiro is having...I dunno, <em> issues </em> after being imprisoned by the Galra for so long? I mean, that can make anyone go a little...you know? I mean, they <em> tortured </em> him. They... <em> experimented </em> on him. He said he didn’t remember anything from before but he does remember <em> some </em> of it now. Repression is a coping technique that your brain utilizes to protect itself from trauma. Shiro has only partly gotten away from the source of his trauma and fighting on a weekly basis or more <em> can’t </em> be good for him. And now that he’s remembering some of this stuff, do you think his brain is trying to cope a different way?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Pidge,” Lance nearly whispered, still taking in that whole rant, “You think he’s really starting to crack?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pidge frowned deeply, worried. “I don’t know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well...if he is, what can we <em> do </em>?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pidge considered him for a moment. “I don’t know if there’s much we <em> can </em> do,” she sighed. “We can’t just stay completely away from the Galra, they’re everywhere. I. think we should keep an eye on him, maybe go out of our way to make sure he’s taking care of himself, but...I think we mostly just need to be there for him, which we sort of already are. I mean, I’m not much for <em> talking </em> and <em> people </em> and junk, but <em> you </em> are. And he talks to Allura a lot.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay...yeah, we can do that. And...you know you <em> say </em> you’re not good with people, but I think that’s complete bullshit. You’re being great at people-ing right now, aren’t you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pidge bristled. “Don’t start thinking I’m some social butterfly, okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Trust me, I won’t,” Lance smirked, but Pidge just rolled her eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Later,” Pidge raised one hand in a halfhearted wave as she started off toward the hangars.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Later,” Lance told her. As he started back toward the training deck, he realized that he was smiling-a small smile, but a <em> real </em>smile, despite his worry-for the first time in a week.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>As the Paladins descended to the surface of the planet of Weita the following morning, however, Lance was not smiling. Shiro and Allura did not seem to have worked through their differing opinions, and if Lance were being honest the set of Shiro’s jaw was putting him on high alert. His presence was usually commanding, but in a gentler way that encouraged people to go along with him. Today, Shiro had barked at Allura when she arrived on the bridge in her usual dress, facing the other four in their Paladin armor. “<em> What </em> are you wearing?” He asked, barely keeping his anger in check, then continued without waiting for a response. “Get suited up, <em> now </em>!” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Allura bristled. “I am dressed as is appropriate for the mission, which is a <em> peaceful </em> mission.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you don’t suit up now, you’re not joining us,” Shiro shot back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Allura practically growled, and looked toward the other Paladins for backup.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Princess,” Pidge said emphatically, “I’m sorry, but we don’t know if this planet is safe. Your records indicate a civil society, but we can’t find any sign of life to indicate that they are still there. The cities below us are empty-we <em> think </em>-but it just isn’t safe to go down unarmed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But you said it yourself, there’s no one there,” Allura argued.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Like that abandoned signal relay where we were attacked by a fleet of cruisers?” Pidge reminded her gently.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Allura glared at her, and it was Hunk who spoke up. “Look, I think we should all be in this together. Show some solidarity in case we <em> do </em> come across these Weitians.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance couldn’t help but wonder what Keith would do right now, because as Allura looked to him, he found he could offer nothing more than conflicted indecision. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I see,” Allura said coldly, and turned her back to them. “I will return shortly.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shiro’s face was impassive, so Lance looked to Pidge and Hunk for an idea what to do but found only sympathetic faces. “Be right back,” he told them quietly, and followed after her the Princess.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As he caught up to her in the corridor, she heard him coming but spared only a brief glance at him. “Lance, please don’t,” Allura told him, her voice wavering.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance hesitated, but barreled on anyways, “Princess, I’m sorry.” She whipped her head around, big watery eyes meeting his. “I know that Shiro is being a complete fuckwad about this, but as much as I hate to admit it, he’s right about it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A complete-?” Allura frowned, then huffed. “I <em> understand </em> why you all want to go there armored, but he is refusing to even hear me out.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I know,” Lance told her gently. “He is not considering any alternatives. But Pidge and Hunk and I <em> have </em>. We actually were going through the alternatives last night, but none of us feel comfortable with going casual. We all agreed that if something did go down, we would take a hit for you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Lance, l’d never ask you-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We <em> know </em> ,” Lance soothed, “But we <em> would </em>. And we all agreed that it would be best to go down to greet this planet looking like a functional team-even if it doesn’t feel like one lately.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh,” she blinked, tentative.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And I’m sorry we didn’t include you in that conversation, but you were still upset with Shiro and we didn’t want to...make things worse,” he ended lamely. “Sorry, I guess we did anyway. We didn’t mean for it to seem like we were ganging up on you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Lance,” Allura softened. “Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t want to trust your judgement. Honestly, the more Shiro pushes, the more upset I get and the more determined I am to do this my way.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s totally understandable,” Lance told her, shaking his head. “He<em> is </em> being a jackass recently.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Allura gave a small, shaky laugh at that, still looking like she was going to cry, and Lance, on instinct, hugged her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh!” Allura squeaked as Lance pulled her into his chest, stiff for a moment, but she slowly brought her hands up to his shoulders and returned the embrace. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Lance pulled away,  her face was very red, and she avoided his eyes. “Oh, you’re not very...tactile, are you?” He asked apologetically. “I didn’t mean to get up in your space.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh-?” She stammered. “I-<em> no, </em>it’s okay,” she assured him. “I-um-I don’t mind. I...did reciprocate, after all,” she breathed with a small laugh. “But I thought…well-nevermind-“ Lance blinked at her, feeling like he’d missed a beat. “I-um-I’d better get suited up. We don’t want to be late.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance nodded and they parted ways, but he caught a glimpse of her still flushed face as she rounded the corner and thought that he had definitely missed something important. It took him only half the walk back to the bridge to come to the conclusion that a hug might hold a different connotation on Altea than it did on Earth.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>It took Lance a few days to work up the nerve to ask Coran about Altean customs-specifically regarding hugs. He felt like Allura had been watching him more often, or maybe he was just noticing it more since the awkwardness between them the other day. She had definitely blushed a couple of times though, and Lance was certain that he would have noticed that before. So, when the opportunity presented itself to casually ask about Altean customs while he was cleaning the food goo machine with Coran, he feigned curiosity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why do you have so much food goo on the ship, anyways? Did Alteans cook actual food?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Actual food?” Coran looked scandalized. “I’ll have you know that this is the most nutritionally balanced form of sustenance an Altean could possibly eat!” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, like <em> recipes </em>,” Lance tried to clarify. “Are there things you made with the plants or animals native to your home planet? Things that...tasted like home?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Coran furrowed his brows. “Well, we did mix seasonal edibles in for special occasions, and in ancient times before a balanced source of sustenance was available, our more primitive ancestors would have used the land and trade to make dishes that fulfilled their dietary needs.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And...there’s no record of that left now?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Coran actually looked upset for a moment, “Even if there is, Altea is gone, and so is all the plant life.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh,” Lance immediately backtracked. “I’m sorry! I didn’t think…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s alright, my boy. From what Hunk says, cooking is a large part of Earth’s culture still. It is for a lot of planets.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, yeah,” Lance shrugged. “I mean, we probably had the technology to feed people a perfect diet hundreds of years ago, but people just still enjoy cooking. It brings people together.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, I suppose everyone needs to eat,” Coran smiled a little.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, but also, it’s about traditions. My abuela passed on recipes to my mama, and all of the kids learn to make the same things. Man, what I wouldn’t do to get a plate of abuela’s double chocolate chip chocolate cookies right now..and maybe a hug. Hey, do Alteans even <em> do </em> hugs?” He dropped the question in what he thought was a casual tone and waited for two painstakingly tense moments before Coran answered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hugs? Of course we do hugs! They’re a bit different from your hugs sometimes. We hug our families and close friends, but it’s not quite the same. It’s more...hm-“ he stopped to demonstrate with his hands, putting them in front of himself on the shoulders of an invisible person. “But what you lot call a hug,” here Coran wrapped his arms around the back of that invisible person. “Those hugs are between spouses-or <em> potential </em> spouses, I suppose, in some cases. You Earthlings seem to be a bit more casual about that sort of thing, but I suppose it means something different.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em> Oh </em>!” Lance raised an eyebrow, but Coran continued.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s not really something you do unless you are <em> extremely </em> close already and will soon be wed. It’s acceptable in an extreme situation, I suppose, if you were freezing to death or if you had to pick up an injured comrade.” He looked a bit awkward.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance, feeling that he’d probed enough and, not wanting to make things more awkward or arouse suspicion, shrugged it off. “That’s so <em> weird </em>, man. Hey what other weird stuff do you guys do? Got any holidays? How do you celebrate?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Coran brightened up, “Oh, yes! Well, my personal favorite holiday celebrates the signing of a treaty between the Alteans and the Hosialites of the Theta-N-237 region. It’s called the Movement of Profound Peace.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance breathed out slowly, glad to have seemingly gotten the information out of Coran that he’d wanted and preparing himself for the hours of boring and incredibly detailed descriptions of Altean holidays to follow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Those hours would be worth it, though, because Coran had confirmed what Lance suspected; that hugging Allura meant something different to her than he had intended. And for the life of him, Lance couldn’t decide if he was pleased or if he had unwittingly betrayed Keith-or if he even had a reason to feel guilty about Keith.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Don’t worry guys, Klance is still the endgame, but we gotta get through the Allurance to get there.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter Nine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I’ve expanded chapter 9, so if you’ve already read this chapter, you may want to re-read through the end of it. I ended up chancing things around a bit when I re-watched part of the last season for inspiration and it just didn’t make sense to end the chapter where I did, so I’ve added a bit! Hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lance knew on some level that Keith and Shiro had a lot in common. They were both excellent fighter pilots, they shared that intense drive and determination that Lance never quite felt he could match for even their most dangerous missions, and they were both a little too serious. Lance sort of had it in his head that Keith was like Shiro-that he had looked up to Shiro and grown to emulate some of his traits. Lance hadn’t realized that it went both ways-that Shiro could pull a move so unequivocally <em> Keith </em> in return. He had not thought that their captain was capable of just <em> leaving </em>the team like he did, but Lance’s thoughts were jumbled with his feelings now. </p><p> </p><p>Then, he remembered that Shiro had also abandoned his boyfriend back on Earth to be a part of the Kerberos mission and it cemented the possibility. To Lance, it seemed that Shiro had left them purposely, without a word, without a pilot for Black and without a leader. Even Allura, who seemed to keep composed in even the most stressful situations, was at a loss as to how to move forward. Lance supposed the betrayal was hard on her especially, considering how much she had leaned on Shiro for leadership, but even after she had wiped her father’s memories from the castle she hadn’t been <em> this </em> distracted.</p><p> </p><p>Now they were left confused, betrayed and in desperate need of a morale boost.</p><p> </p><p>When an unfamiliar pod approached the ship, the team was understandably on edge-until Keith stepped out. He looked different than when they had last seen him, as if whatever he had been through those past months had aged him by years instead, but it was unmistakably Keith.</p><p> </p><p>And when Lance went to greet him, he was all business. <em> Definitely </em> Keith.</p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t until later, <em> much </em> later that night, that they had a chance to speak one-on-one.</p><p> </p><p>Keith came to his room as they all parted way to rest. Lance answered the door in his pajamas, not altogether surprised to see him, and simply stood to the side to let him in without a word.</p><p> </p><p>Keith hesitated before he stepped across the threshold, as if he wanted to say something first but decided against it. Instead, he stepped inside, letting the door slide shut behind him, and stood in the middle of the room, empty-handed and awkward.</p><p> </p><p>“Lance,” he said finally, he’s voice quiet.</p><p> </p><p>“Is there time <em> now </em>?” Lance asked abruptly.</p><p> </p><p>Keith cringed. “Sorry, I was...a little...hyperfocused when I first arrived. After <em> all this time </em>…”</p><p> </p><p>“You look so much older,” Lance remarked, softer now, but still hesitant.</p><p> </p><p>“And you look <em> exactly </em> like I remember,” Keith met his eyes finally. “Lance,” he sighed, taking a step closer, hands twisting together. “I don’t think there’s anything I can do to apologize enough to you. Even if it was only months for you, where it was years for me...I’m sorry I left you. I’m <em> so </em> sorry that I ever left your side.”</p><p> </p><p>Lance swallowed hard. “You did what you thought was right,” he said slowly. “And you met your <em> mother </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Keith let out a small laugh. “Holy<em> quiznack </em>, that was weird, ya know?”</p><p> </p><p>Lance stepped forward and took Keith’s hands, which he’d been fidgeting with uncomfortably in front of himself, into Lance’s own. “Keith, I’m glad you got to meet her. And with everything you found out-with Lotor and the colony-maybe your instincts were right again. But...I just-I can’t take you leaving.” Keith’s expression fell, but Lance continued, his voice going hoarse, “You said you would be back, and I was <em> so </em> excited for you to ditch those Blades and be here, but I can see that it may not always be a possibility. As long as we’re Paladins-and as long as you’re a Balde, neither one of us can pretend like we know we’re going to be able to stay here tomorrow. If a mission takes one of us away, we’ll go. And...and I just don’t...I can’t handle that right now...not from <em> you </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Keith looked as though someone had run him over. “I...I understand,” he said hoarsely.</p><p> </p><p>Lance hesitated. “If we finish this...the war,” he said slowly, unsure what exactly he wanted to get across. “Maybe….maybe things will be different. But not before then.”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe...?” Keith croaked.</p><p> </p><p>Lance sighed heavily. “A lot can happen between now and the end of this war. But,” he squeezed Keith’s hands, “Not <em> this </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Keith seemed to have run out of words. “Goodnight, Lance,” he managed, and turned to go, pulling his hands out of Lance’s loose grip.</p><p> </p><p>Lance bit his bottom lip, but did not stop him from leaving. The door slid shut, and Lance stared at it numbly for a few moments before he took a step backwards and sunk to the bed.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Things were a bit unsettled for a while. Keith trained harder and spoke less, and Lance was perhaps a little more serious. He focused on the team and the missions, and he tried not to think too much about Keith or to unintentionally overstep any personal boundaries with Allura.</p><p> </p><p>Allura, however, seemed to be making more of an effort to seek Lance out. She asked for his help with the ship, with strategy sessions and mission plans. He didn’t flirt with her like before- not after the hug, and especially not in front of Keith, but he felt like he was getting to know her better now.</p><p> </p><p>They had been functioning smoothly enough as a team, able to form Voltron and to work together as well as always, but Lance felt like he was toeing a line; between being too familiar with Allura and trying to remain friendly enough with Keith while also trying not to give the impression that he was still as hung up in him as he was. Lance constantly reminded himself that Keith was a friend first, the Black Paladin second, and an ill-advised crush last.</p><p> </p><p>As the Galra ramped up their attacks, and the Blades and Voltron pushed plans into motion, however, Lance didn’t have much time to think about his feelings or anyone else’s. He was suddenly too busy-trying to save planets, aid resistance movements, rescuing Shiro and trying to help bring the coalition together while avoiding death several times a week-to bother figuring out who he wanted to date or if they’d have him.</p><p> </p><p>The next time Lance sat down and had time to consider his personal relationships, in fact, was a number of grueling, stressful months later. And then, Lance felt like he had all the time in the world, because finally, they were going <em> home </em>.</p><p> </p><p>The trip back to Earth was exciting, for the first day. Lance was giddy with the thought of reuniting with his family. Then, the realization that they had an entire month of travel set in, and Lance quickly became restless. Left with his thoughts and Kalternecker-and sometimes Romelle or Allura or Coran, or even Komso, on occasion-he began to think through everything that had happened.</p><p> </p><p>A week before their arrival, while Romelle was asleep in the back and Hunk was flying solo, Lance dialed a private conversation to Yellow.</p><p> </p><p><b>“Hey,”</b> Hunk greeted, obviously bored.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Hey...”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Oh, no.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p><b>“</b> <b> <em>What</em> </b> <b>?” </b>Lance asked.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“You’ve got that look on your face.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Lance squawked, <b>“What look!?”</b></p><p> </p><p><b>“</b> <b> <em>That</em> </b> <b> one. The ‘Lance is overthinking things’ look.”</b></p><p> </p><p><b>“I’m not overthinking it. Actually, I think I’ve come to a decision.” </b> Hunk just raised his eyebrows and waited for more. <b>“I think I’d like to ask Allura out.”</b></p><p> </p><p>Hunk looked genuinely confused for a moment, <b>“You-you’re serious about her?”</b></p><p> </p><p>Lance nodded. <b>“I think...I think we might be good together, y’know? Like maybe we could have something.”</b></p><p> </p><p>Hunk opened his mouth, then closed it, frowning. <b>“Are you sure you’re over Keith, though?”</b> he asked quietly. <b>“It just...wouldn’t be fair to her.”</b></p><p> </p><p>Lance hesitated. <b>“I-look, I’m not going to say I’m </b> <b> <em>over</em> </b> <b> him, over him, but I wouldn’t betray Allura’s for him and I have no plans to date him whether Allura is in the picture or not. I just...I don’t think dating Keith would be fair to </b> <b> <em>me</em> </b> <b>. Is that selfish?”</b></p><p> </p><p>Hunk shook his head. <b>“Nah. I get it.”</b></p><p> </p><p><b>“I just…I feel like Allura would be such a great partner and I think she’s actually starting to like me now...I want to be there for </b> <b> <em>her</em> </b> <b> too. With all this going on-learning about the Altean colony and everything-she’s been under a lot of stress and...I dunno, </b> <b> <em>she</em> </b> <b> deserves to be happy too. Maybe we can make each other happy?”</b></p><p> </p><p>Hunk, surprised, just nodded. <b>“Okay, so… when are you gonna ask her out?”</b></p><p> </p><p>Lance balked. <b>“Oof. Buddy, I dunno. Whenever it seems right, I guess.”</b></p><p> </p><p><b>“Well, now is as good a time as ever,” </b> Hunk shrugged. <b>“We’ve got plenty of free time.”</b></p><p> </p><p><b>“Yeah but-“ </b> Lance let out a puff of air. <b>“Jeez, I dunno, maybe when we get back to Earth. Then I can take her on a real date.”</b></p><p> </p><p><b>“Sounds like a good plan. I’m gonna make sure you remember this once we get there,” </b> Hunk told him, smiling. <b>“Just...don’t use a pick-up line, dude.”</b></p><p> </p><p><b>“</b> <b> <em>C’mon</em> </b> <b>,” </b> Lance scoffed, <b>“Who do you think I am?”</b></p><p> </p><p>Hunk grimaced.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>In the Black lion, Shiro and Keith found time during the journey to talk about Lance as well. Shiro brought up their relationship while they were alone aboard Black. Keith had told him nearly everything that had happened by that point.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe I could get Slav to send me to the alternate universe where Lance is Altean,” Keith told him, when Shiro asked him what he wanted to do when they got to Earth.</p><p> </p><p>“Can we...<em> not </em> have to deal with Slav?” Shiro grimaced. “I can’t take much of him.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m aware,” Keith laughed. “But seriously, I have no clue. You?</p><p> </p><p>Shiro sighed, “I guess...I mean, Adam obviously must have moved in by now. We were barely even speaking to one another when I left for Kerberos, but I’m not really sure what I’d want to do. Maybe when this is all over I’ll have a better idea.” He shrugged one shoulder and there was a beat of silence before he asked, “Do you think you’ll ask Lance out, once all this is over?”</p><p> </p><p>“Lance isn’t <em> interested </em>.” Keith bit out.</p><p> </p><p>“But you said he-?“</p><p> </p><p>“It doesn’t matter,” he cut Shiro off. “He’s made his decision and he’s already moving on.”</p><p> </p><p>Shiro frowned. “I’m not sure that he’s completely over you, even if he has been hanging out with Allura.”</p><p> </p><p>Keith groaned, “Well, whatever his feeling may be, he’s made it clear that he isn’t interested in dating me.”</p><p> </p><p>Shiro sighed, “Then just be there, as a friend. You <em> are </em>still friends, right?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then be there to support him. No matter what he decides to do.”</p><p> </p><p>“I <em> will </em>,” Keith grit out dejectedly. “I just...more than anything, I want Lance to be happy, and if being with me isn’t going to make that happen, then so be it,” he sighed.</p><p> </p><p>“What if it’s going to make <em> you </em> miserable?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m here, I’m off the whale, and I’ve got you and the Wolf,” Keith told him evenly. “I’ll be fine.”</p><p> </p><p>Shiro seemed about to reply but, as if he heard them talking about him, the Wolf appeared between them and pressed his wet nose and drooling mouth to Keith’s cheek.</p><p> </p><p>“Urgh,” he pushed the Wolf away a little and scratched his neck with one hand while the other wiped his face. “Gross.”</p><p> </p><p>The Wolf just wagged his tail as Shiro laughed.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Their return to Earth passes in a blur of battle, reunion and planning. It seemed like they’ve only just gotten home when they make the decision to launch the Atlas and leave again. Lance finally made a move and asked Allura to dinner with his family. For whatever it was worth, Keith was glad that Lance sought him out just before he left to see her that night, even if Keith barely kept himself together through their conversation.</p><p> </p><p>Lance stayed while Keith watched the sunset, and as he set off for his date, Keith lay back and stared up at the vast, fading sky feeling empty and small. It wasn’t until the sky had darkened and the stars became visible, that Keith felt tears ran down the sides of his face, gather in his hair and drip down the back of his neck. He lay there for a long time, just staring up at the universe, until the cold made him shiver and move inside.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>When he woke the next morning, emotionally and physically exhausted, they had a job to do. They launched successfully, back into the vast expanse of space with Shiro at the helm, not entirely sure when they would return home again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Keith threw himself into work and training, because that was all there was to do. If he exhausted his body in battle, or on the training deck, and exhausted his mind going through mission details, there wasn’t much energy left at the end of the day for him to think about Lance. He fell into bed and fell straight to sleep, and if he dream of Lance, he didn’t remember it in the mornings.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>During the days, he saw Lance and Allura together once in a while. The first time he had caught sight of their clasped hands in the corridor near the mess hall, Keith’s gut had churned unpleasantly enough to make him skip breakfast and lunch. Now, he was getting used to seeing them with one another, although they were surprisingly subtle with their affections. He still noticed every brush of hands over hands, over shoulders, and how they sat closer bumped shoulders, sometimes Lance would just lay a hand over her forearm to comfort her, especially when she was upset-which was often as their journey wore on. Keith noticed it all, and he worked hard, and he worked out hard, and tried not to think about Lance touching him in those exact same ways in an alternate reality.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps the most upsetting part of seeing them together was that Lance didn’t even look </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Keith couldn’t help but feel that If only Lance was happy with her, he might have been able to get over it, but Lance looked miserable. He seemed like he was constantly exhausted-which they all</span>
  <em>
    <span> were-</span>
  </em>
  <span> and the small smiles he noticed were too tight, not quite reaching his eyes. He seemed to be holding Allura together though.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allura, despite Keith’s best efforts not to admire her efforts, had been putting every little bit of her energy into their cause. When she wasn’t dealing with negotiations or liaising with the Blade on strategy, she was on a mission with the rest of Voltron or training. She seemed to be stopping only to eat and sleep, and finally, after a long day of planning and training, Keith snapped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Allura,” he frowned at her, approaching the conference table where she didn’t seem to have noticed him. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Allura,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he repeated, resting a hand over her screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Keith-?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is whatever you’re doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> important?” He asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course it’s important!” She sounded offended, which wasn’t what Keith had been aiming for at all. “Keith, we are in the middle of-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I mean, can it wait until morning? You really need to take a break. It’s only six o’clock and we’re done for the day. You should put this aside and get some rest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She stared at him as her anger slid away, mouth slightly open as if the thought had never occurred to her. “Oh.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been working too hard, you need a break, Princess. You can’t keep going forever or you’re just going to get burnt-out. Plus,” he swallowed hard, “Lance has looked pretty stressed lately too, I think he’d appreciate the time to hang out with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allura’s eyes softened, and for a moment Keith was afraid that she might start to cry, but she nodded and put her datapad down. “You’re right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know,” he returned, trying for a smirk. “Go find Lance and watch some Bih-Boh or something, alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She genuinely smiled at that. “Thank you for looking after us all,” she told him, and Keith returned the smile as best as he could. “I know that this is a stressful time for us all, maybe even more so for you, but you’ve been a great leader through all of this. I appreciate that you can push us </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> hard when we need, but also still </span>
  <em>
    <span>care</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I-“ she faltered a little, “If there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Keith shook his head, “I’m fine, Princess. Thank you,” and stepped away, leaving her datapad on the table. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>When everything started to unravel, Allura was there to pull everyone together. Through political coups, assassination plots and infiltration of the Blade-she was the one pulled their team and the resistance together to counter every single threat they encountered, no matter how unachieveable it seemed. So, when the very fabric of their reality started to unravel, Keith had marveled at the conciliatory power Allura had to convince even </span>
  <em>
    <span>Honerva</span>
  </em>
  <span> to help them, and then watched in awe as she knit the universe back together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After everything, he was left with her last works to him ringing in his ears. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Keith, I cannot thank you enough for what you’ve given me,” she had said.  “</span>
  </em>
  <span>There is greatness in your heart, and in your actions,</span>
  <em>
    <span>”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she told him as they embraced, and then, quieter, she whispered, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Take care of him.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, as she said her goodbyes to Lance, she gave Keith the most precious gift he could have asked for in return; hope. As she pulled away from Lance, there were two glowing Altean marks on his face. They were the same marks that he had seen in countless visions in the quantum abyss-marks that existed in a reality in which Keith and Lance held hands and shared intimate smiles and kissed on a farmhouse porch at night, surrounded by a field of glowing flowers. Whether the marks had been meant as a gift to Lance or Keith-or both-he didn’t know, but Keith would cherish the sight of them. He decided then that no matter where their future took them, he would keep Lance in his life for as long as Lance would have him.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Whoa big time jump from beginning to end of this chapter, but we’re getting so close to the good parts!!! I realize that I skip over a lot of details about the actual plot and the war happening here, but this fix is about the Klance not the war :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter Ten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Heads up! If you are reading this story as I post, you’ll want to revisit the last chapter.  I added a little to the end of it because during editing, I realized that it just didn’t make sense to split the chapters where I had them before. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After so long in space, working with alien technology and learning to adapt to new languages, species and even the laws of physics, it was surprising how much trouble Keith had adjusting to Earth technology. They had been back on earth for less than a month, and he had been gifted a top-of-the-line phone weeks before it had been made available to the general public according to Lance, who cared way more than he did about that sort of thing. Lance made fun of him for needing help to set it all up, not knowing how to use the voice assistant or add contacts in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You just hit this button,” Lance showed him, then held his own phone up, hitting the identical button on it. “And...</span>
  <em>
    <span>tada</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you have my number. I’m going to share the others’ too. Hit that ‘yes’ box that just came up to say that they can have your number. As soon as they confirm that I’m allowed to share theirs with you, they’ll show up in your list. Easy, right?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith gave him a weak smile. “Sure.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to message me, aren’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith finally looked up from the screen, trying not to let his eyes catch too long at the marks on Lance’s cheeks. “Sure,” he said more confidently. “When I’m planetside, at least.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Pidge said she’s working on installing a subspace message relay system that connects a few existing hubs with Earth, that way anyone on the planet can keep in contact with alien friends or family or business contacts. We’re pretty cut off, you know, so she’s hoping to have it up and operational within six months.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So...I would be able to text you from space?” Keith asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly!” Lance beamed. “At least, if you’re close to the major trade routes.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh,” Keith eyed the phone with more interest. “That’ll be cool.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right? But for now, promise you’ll message me when you’re home, at least. Okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance didn’t let his smile fall, but Keith could see the insecurity behind it. “Promise,” he told Lance seriously.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Every</span>
  </em>
  <span> day,” Lance pressed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” Keith laughed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, come on, Mama is making carnitas. You’re gonna want ten,” Lance grinned.</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Later that night, Keith rolled into bed with a belly full of pork and a stiff knee from the hoverbike ride back to the desert. He closed his eyes for just a moment before he slid back off the side of the mattress, feeling around for his jacket. He slid the cell phone from his pocket and typed out a short message to Lance before he threw it on his bedside table to charge.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Thanks for dinner. Good night.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever he may have hoped, Lance hadn’t actually expected Keith to message him much. Keith, however, stayed true to his word and sent at least one thing every day he was on Earth. This morning, it was a picture of the desert sunrise with no text.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Beautiful! Why are you awake so early?</em>
  </b>
  <span> Lance texted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance nearly dropped his phone when he got the reply ten minutes later; another photo. It was a selfie of Keith, shirtless and sweating, but smiling at the camera despite the fact that he was obviously in the middle of a grueling morning workout.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b><em>Show off!</em></b> <span>Lance sent back, and saved the photo before he shoved the phone in his pocket and made his way downstairs for breakfast.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith didn’t send another selfie for a while. Lance included them regularly, now but Keith usually stuck to short texts and the occasional picture of something random, and sometimes there were a few days where he wouldn’t be able to send anything while he was away with the Blade. When he was home, however, Keith almost exclusively messaged Lance at the same time each morning, and he was usually bad at replying back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Today, Lance didn’t get a message until almost noon.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Hey</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Hey. Busy morning?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Yeah. I had a meeting with the Blade.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>And…?????!!!???</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance waited impatiently for a reply, barely paying attention to his lunch simmering away on the stove.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Are you home?</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes? </em>
  </b>
  <span>Lance punched out his message in frustration. </span>
  <b>
    <em>Are you coming over?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Be there in 10 minutes.</b>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith liked Lance’s mom. The first time he came to visit, she’d pulled him into a tight hug and thanked him for ‘keeping Lance safe’, despite his insistence that it had been the other way around. She’d greeted him with the same warmth on his last visit, and sure enough, he’d been enveloped in the ‘mom hug’ the moment they entered the front door. This time was no different.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith!” She smiled widely. “It’s so good to see you again!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s good to see you too, Mrs. McClain,” Keith told her honestly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She broke the hug and held him at arms length to look him over. “I told you, it’s Mama to you. Are you doing okay? You’re not getting into anything dangerous in space, are you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, ma’am, nothing dangerous,” Keith shook his head, looking sideways toward Lance for help. Lance was just leaning against the doorway, thumbs tucked into his front pockets, smiling and looking more relaxed than Keith could ever remember seeing him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mama,” Lance came up beside Keith and set his own hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Keith can handle a couple ‘a space monsters, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She let him go to glare at Lance. “You shouldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to deal with any space monsters!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t,”Keith blurted. “No monsters, really! It’s all very safe work, I promise. Just cargo transport for the most part.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“See, Mama, it’s okay. Keith’s just a cargo pilot! Hey, come on, I’ve got to stir our lunch before it burns,” Lance used his grip on Keith’s shoulder to guide him toward the kitchen, then left him standing in the center of the room. Lance gave the vegetables in the pan a quick toss and turned around expectantly. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>So…</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith blinked stupidly. “Uh-?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Your meeting with the Blades?” Lance pressed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, right. They uh-they’ve asked me to go on a bit of a long mission,” he sighed, dropping to sit on the edge of a stool at the counter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Lance hesitated. “You...don’t want to go?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith frowned. “Well, it may be a longer mission than I’ve been taking lately.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Like...</span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span> long?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Months,” Keith answered. “Four at the minimum. And it’s a little short notice. If I say yes, I’ll leave tomorrow morning.”</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t be able to text you,” he told Lance apologetically. “At least not without a significant delay until Pidge’s relay system is up and running.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance smiled, pleased that Keith thought of him. “Hey, no worries. Just take </span>
  <em>
    <span>lots</span>
  </em>
  <span> of pictures for me and we can message the slow way.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The quadrant has a thirty-two hour delay in communications back to Earth. So </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> slow,” Keith sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You gonna miss talking to me every day?” Lance asked teasingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith, however, just smiled a little. “Yeah,” he said lightly. “I will. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If </span>
  </em>
  <span>I go. I haven’t told them my answer yet because I...I wanted to talk to you first.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I don’t understand. You-I’m sorry, Keith, but I’m not ready to leave my family again right now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Keith hurried to explain, “I don’t want you to leave them, I just mean that...this time, if you want me to stay, I won’t go </span>
  <em>
    <span>anywhere</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he reached a tentative hand out to rest over Lance’s own knuckles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was taken aback, left wide-eyed at the admission for a moment before he collected himself. “I-it hasn’t really-I mean,” he struggled to find words, “I can handle some time alone right now,” Lance finally settled on. “We’ll catch up as soon as you get back,” he promised sincerely. “Or when the relay is done, whichever comes first. And after you get back, we’ll...we’ll figure everything else out.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” Keith let him go, and just like that the tension was lifted. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you gonna stay and eat?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, thanks,” Keith grinned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It may not be as good as Hunk’s cooking, but I think I’m half decent,” Lance smirked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure it’ll be great. Besides, he might be a big intergalactic chef now, but remember we ate some pretty terrible combinations from Hunk while he experimented with alien ingredients.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance laughed. “Oh my god, </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>? I think I tried to block some of that out.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The real reason we have PTSD,” Keith snorted, then seemed to quickly realize that it may not have been funny at all and searched around for another topic. “Uh-what are you making, anyways? Can I help?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance paused. “It’s okay,” he told Keith, suddenly serious. “We’ve all been to see the Garrison counselor, you know..”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith managed a weak smile. “Right.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance seemed placated, if barely, and moved on, “It’s a pasta dish I saw someone make online. There’s beans, peppers, onions, tomatoes, herbs, garlic and just a little bit of cheese. If I’d known you were coming, we could have made some ropa veija or some tamales or something special.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, it sounds good anyways. You don’t need to cook anything special to impress me,” Keith assured him. “I’m already impressed you can cook at all.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll have you know I’m an </span>
  <em>
    <span>excellent</span>
  </em>
  <span> home cook,” he bragged. “What mama and my abuela didn’t teach me, I learned from Hunk or the internet.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can make eggs or spaghetti,” Keith deadpanned, and it made Lance bubble with laughter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Here,” Lance ladled a heap of pasta onto a plate and handed it over the counter, “We’ll go out on the porch,” he told Keith, fixing up his own plate. Lance called to the rest of the house that dinner was ready and guided Keith to the front porch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’ll be quieter out here,” Lance told him apologetically.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Keith insisted. “Your family is great.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re alright, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>guess</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Lance grinned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They chatted while they ate, catching up on what they had been doing since they had last seen each other and what the rest of the Paladins were up to. Finally, once they were both stuffed with pasta and had fallen into a lull of comfortable silence, Lance asked, “How long can you stay today?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith hesitated. “Well, I need to call and inform the Blade that I’m accepting the mission, and I have to say bye to Shiro at some point,” he told Lance, “The pod is approved for departure at 0900 hours tomorrow.” He met Lance’s eyes across the table. “But I could probably just ask him to join his workout in the morning before I go. That way I’ll already be at the Garrison.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance’s expression brightened. “So you’ll stay for dinner too?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” Keith answered with a smile, as if he would have been able to say no. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Later-</span>
  <em>
    <span>much </span>
  </em>
  <span>later-when it was finally time to leave, Lance walked him back out into the porch to say goodbye. The marks on his cheeks glowed and the dim porchlight behind them was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> close to the visions Keith had seen that he almost believed it could happen in </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> reality, but it wasn’t quite the same. Lance might look the same, but his demeanor was more subdued and the field behind him was just overgrown grass, not the sprawl of beautiful Altean flowers that Keith remembered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Still, when he went to leave and Lance hugged him, Keith’s breath caught. He froze for a moment before he squeezed Lance’s shoulders tightly and sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll come back as soon as I can,” Keith told him, as they pulled apart.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance smiled. “You better.”</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Passed by this galaxy that has some crazy colors. </b>
  <span>Keith sent Lance a photo of the swirl of acid green and electric blue, intersected by a trail of blood red space dust. He glanced at the dash of the pod, calculating how long it would take to get a reply. It would reach Lance in less than five hours, but since Keith was still traveling away from home, it would take even longer for Lance’s reply to get back to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eleven hours later, as Keith neared a planet where he would be stopping to rest for the night, his phone chirped and he practically dove to </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It’s beautiful! By the time you get this, I’m guessing you’ll be asleep or close to it. Send me more cool pics!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance had included a photo of the ocean, bright and sparkling in the afternoon sun. There was a pair of sunglasses in the foreground and in the reflection Keith could see a smile on Lance’s face, and the glow of the marks on his cheeks, muted by the bright daylight.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith waited to take the next picture until he was safely on the ground, nestled into a room in what seemed to be a hotel of some fashion. He curled up on the bed, sinking into the lush cushions and took a picture of the window which showed a clear orange sky and let some of the silky bedding and the empty pillow beside him show. </span>
  <b>Made it to the rest stop. Seems like the kind of fancy place you’d love.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith stretched out, rolling his ankles when his feet passed the end of the bed. He picked his datapad back up on a whim and took a photo down the length of his body, showing his feet sticking out as he wiggled his toes. </span>
  <b>Just too bad everything here is made for 4 foot tall aliens. </b>
  <span>He hit send again and sighed, letting himself relax into the pillows.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he woke in the morning, Keith knew that he wouldn’t have a reply yet-that his messages may not have even reached Lance yet, but he checked the datapad anyways. There was nothing from Lance, but he did have a short video message from Shiro.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Keith,” </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Shiro smiled at the camera, standing on the bridge of the Atlas in uniform.</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em> “Hope you made it to your first stop alright. We’ve received confirmation from Zed-9 Pulinix that they’ll be expecting you around 00:30 as planned. They’ve requested that you wait in orbit for a craft which will escort you down due to an incoming storm within the atmosphere. We weren’t able to verify the acidity levels in their rains, so you’ll need to leave the pod for a bit. We...aren’t sure if the rain will melt your pod,” </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Shiro grinned apologetically. </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>“We seem to have very different units of measurement and we don’t have a current equivalent. You may be given a few sample vials to bring back home with you so that we can test the acidity and compare our measurements. Pidge’s request…Be safe and be sure to check in at the designated points.” </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Shiro gave a little wave before the video cut out.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sent a message back, opting for text rather than video, and set out to thank his hosts before he took back off. When he was done, starting away from the planet with the ship on autopilot, Keith leaned back from the controls. He managed to find a station playing bii-boh dramas and didn’t shut it off until he started to think he might be understanding the bii’s and boh’s. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith checked his position again, adjusted his heading by a quarter of a tick and paced his cargo hold for a bit until a notification sounded on his datapad. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith rushed back to the cockpit to view it, and grinned when he saw another photo. Lance had taken a selfie with Colleen, and they seemed to be in a laboratory full of plants. On the table behind them was a tray of dirt with several tiny green shoots poking out of the soil. </span>
  <b>Colleen and I are working on a project to cultivate some Altean plant life on Earth. </b>
  <span>Lance had captioned, and in a separate message he responded to Keith’s last photos. </span>
  <b>Gorgeous view! Wish I could be there with you, even if half my leg would hang off.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith had only a moment to process the not-so-subtle dig at Keith’s height and the possible implication that Lance wished he were in bed with him before another message came through. </span>
  <b>Also found this loveable guy at the Garrison today!</b>
  <span> Keith grinned as a photo of the Wolf came through. He was licking Lance’s face, his tail blurred. Keith wa still smiling at it when the final message arrived.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Show me all the other cool places you run across, all I’ve seen today is theGarrison! </b>
  <span>It was accompanied by a picture of the desert at sunset, the Garrison just barely visible in the distance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith took his time, waiting until he passed a particularly beautiful nebula to snap a photo for his reply. He sent it out without a caption because he wasn’t sure how to respond to Lance’s last comment, and made it his personal mission throughout the rest of this leg of his journey to finding patches of space that he thought Lance would like to see. He sent a string of pictures along the journey before the end of the night, when he sent a photo of Zed-9 Pulinix as he waited in orbit for a craft to take him down.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>I have to start doing actual work from here on out</b>
  <span>, Keith told him. </span>
  <b>I’ll take more pictures for you when I can.</b>
  <span> Keith hesitated, then added, </span>
  <b>I already can’t wait to come back home, I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve been doing with Colleen.</b>
  <span> He slid his datapad into a safe pocket on his belt and gathered the things he would need for the next couple of days, already looking forward to Lance’s next reply and knowing that it was twenty-six hours away.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>